Some Rise By Sin
by Brynna
Summary: How far would Aro go to have Alice? And how far would Jasper go to get her back? Post-BD, A/J, and ensemble
1. The Violence of Existing

Disclaimer: The Twilight universe belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

A/N: Big thanks to ileftmyheartinlondon for her initial beta work. Thanks also to alybee and Guardgirl12 for the additional pass. If you've been a fan of any of my work in the past, you'll be able to see their influence in this story by the presence of fancy things like semi-colons and proper sentence structure.

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**Chapter 1 – The Violence of Existing**

Her eyes were closed, her breathing shallow. Dimly, she could hear a steady stream of pouring water. She tried to squeeze her eyes tighter against the image in front of her but it filled her mind.

Jasper was torn apart.

Jasper was in pieces in the dust.

Figures in black stoked the fire that was to be his resting place.

A wave of dizziness settled over her and within her, some part of her shouted. _Open your eyes_, it said. She shook her head and then complied. She blinked, momentarily confused by the low light of her hotel room, by the increasingly loud sound of Jasper's shower. The sound that had seemed so far off moments earlier was suddenly crashing around her, too loud, too overwhelming. She pressed the heels of her palms against her eyes, trying to focus her attention, trying to conjure up a decision to change her vision.

Alice let vision after vision flit through her mind until she grasped onto the one she wanted, clinging onto the decision, holding onto it as an absolute. She tested its limits, making subtle changes, minor caveats to her contract with the future. The future had her this time. There was no running away, no one to turn to. This was all on her. All on him.

She took a pen and the pad of hotel stationary, steadying her breathing as she pressed the tip into the white paper. She pulled the pen toward her, the first stroke on the paper sounding shockingly loud in her ears. And then her hand flew, scrawling what she could.

The water of Jasper's shower was still steady. She closed her eyes and looked ahead; the path was set, the vision clear and unchanging. Alice planted her forehead in her hand for a moment and then folded the sheet of paper, shoving it deep into her purse. With lightly trembling fingers, she unclasped her locket and slid off her rings. She squeezed them tight and dropped them into the zippered pocket inside her purse.

She looked ahead again, cursing herself for not seeing it all sooner. Her visions had been spotty for weeks. She was catching glimpses, fleeting images. Black cloaks, Rosalie on a plane, Jasper in distress, an unfamiliar hand at her back, new faces in the guard. She and Jasper's entire vacation had been one strange flash after another. Nothing was ever firm enough to grasp onto.

And suddenly the visions became utterly clear.

She listened to his shower, shutting her eyes when she heard him turn off the tap. Hiding her emotions from him had never been her strong suit. She opened her eyes, blinking as she caught her reflection in the mirror above the desk. She tried to force a smile, tried to mask the pain and fear and sadness. She leaned close, touching thin fingers to her pale cheek. It was useless. He simply knew her too well.

Alice stood and sighed. She crossed to the bathroom and opened the door. He was standing there, a hotel towel low on his hips, another in his hand, scrubbing through his hair. She nearly shut her eyes at the beauty of him. The wide expanse of pale back was ridged with muscles and scars. She wanted to press herself there, to let her hands trail to his stomach. She wanted to hold on, to never let go. Instead, she leaned against the door frame and met his gaze in the mirror, through the steam.

His smile was slow and lazy, delighted to see her standing there. She sighed again, unable to help herself. His expression sobered. "What happened?"

Alice shook her head. "Another vision."

His brow furrowed and he turned to face her. "Still not making sense?"

She shook her head again, pushing the lie out. "No."

Jasper took a step toward her, his brow still furrowed, his hair hanging in wet locks over his forehead. "What is it, Alice?"

"I'm just frustrated."

He took another step toward her, nearly bridging the distance between them. He reached out a hand and then let it drop. "Your emotions are a mess."

She held her hand out and he took it, grasping the towel with his other hand to keep it on his hips. "It was just another one with you."

"Do you want to tell me?"

"No. It doesn't matter. It's already changed." She pressed herself against him, her head fitting against his chest, her fingers making patterns around the scars. She felt his eyes on her, felt him soaking in her emotions, trying to make sense of her mood.

"Alice?" he breathed.

She smiled, understanding the question. He always asked. "Go ahead."

Alice closed her eyes as she felt the emotions wash over her. She felt herself calm down. She felt happy, her distress and sadness reduced to a dim shadow. She smiled up at Jasper. His eyes were still worried but he offered her a small smile in return.

"They'll start making sense again soon." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "It'll be all right."

"Yeah," she breathed, turning her face into his chest. She pressed her lips to a knot of scars at his collarbone, smiling when he sucked in a breath.

"We're never going to get out of here if you do that."

She tilted her head up, her chin resting on his chest, her hands clasped at the small of his back. He ran his hands up her arms, gripping her shoulders. "I love you, Jasper," she whispered.

He frowned, the stone of his forehead bowing into a deep furrow. "Why are you saying it like that?"

"Like what?"

There was a long pause as he searched her eyes. "Like a goodbye." The words escaped his mouth on a tiny, pained gasp.

She shook her head, letting a smile stretch, clinging to the dredges of the happiness he had given her. "No goodbye. Just an 'I love you.'"

His brow was still creased, his frown still deep. "I love you, too. Alice, I – "

"I should let you get dressed." She pulled out of his grasp before he could protest, before he could tighten his grip around her. She danced out of the bathroom, trying for normal. She could feel him staring at the door in confusion as she shut it behind her.

Alice leaned against it, shutting her eyes. She looked ahead briefly. She hadn't said too much; the future was the same. She pressed her hand to her chest, to the place where her heart would be racing if it could beat at all. She moved to sit on the bed, dragging her shoes over and sliding them onto her feet.

He opened the door, dressed in jeans and a button down. He stared at her, the light from the bathroom casting an ethereal glow around him. His face was smooth now but she could still see the worry there. "We could go home, if you want."

"No. It doesn't matter."

Jasper spread his hands, clearly at a loss. "Do you still want to hunt?"

She nodded and shifted, pressing her hands into the bed as if she were bracing herself against whatever lies she'd still have to tell. "Your eyes are dark."

"That doesn't – " He shook his head and swallowed, pushing his fingers through his damp hair. "You'd – you'd tell me if something was wrong, right?"

"Yes. Nothing's wrong. I'm just frustrated."

He shook his head. "No, you're..." He let the words trail and she tilted her head, expecting him to continue, expecting him to press the issue. Instead, he sat beside her and slid on his own shoes. She started to stand but he darted out a hand, pressing it to her thigh. "You know you can tell me, Alice. Whatever it is, you know you can always..."

She shook her head again. "It's better that I don't."

He nodded, trusting her as he always had. "All right." He moved his hand from her thigh, let his fingers trail across her jaw. He cupped her chin with the gentlest of touches. "All right."

Alice closed her eyes as he touched his lips to hers. They were whisper soft, unnaturally sweet. If she could cry, tears would be weeping from her closed eyes. "Love you," she whispered again, unable to help herself. It was unusual for them to say it once in a day; twice was nearly unheard of.

He leaned his forehead against hers and searched again, his eyes boring into hers as if he could read all of her secrets. Maybe he could. Maybe he could see all of them. Maybe her efforts were futile. He touched her jaw and she could see the decision in his gaze, the acquiescence. He would let her tell him in her own time. He wouldn't press.

Jasper shifted, his fingers still light on her jaw as he kissed her forehead. She closed her eyes as his lips moved at her brow. She recognized the kiss as a promise, as a pledge to listen when she was ready to talk. He stood from the bed and pulled her to her feet, wrapping his arm around her narrow shoulders and guiding her toward the door.

They left the hotel with quick steps and ran as soon as they were out of sight. He clutched at her hand, matching her pace to stay beside her. Her heart lurched as she felt him fly next to her, as she felt him consciously work to stay as close as possible. It didn't matter; she was running away from him.

There was so much she wished she could tell him. There were so many words that died on her lips before she could conjure them.

_I'll love you forever_, she wanted to say.

_You've been my everything for my entire life. _

_You're strong enough to fix this._

_I'll forgive you anything._

_I love you._

Instead, she halted her thoughts and slowed her running, tugging them both to a stop when things suddenly looked distressingly familiar. "There's a bear," she whispered, with a nod of her head. Her voice was oddly scratchy in her own ears.

Jasper shook his head and turned, her hand still trapped in his. He thrust his fingers into her hair and kissed her, reading her mood, somehow knowing this was the moment she was fearing. She melted against him and stopped trying to hide it. She let the fear and sadness and anger flow through her. She let him feel it, hoping that he could find some semblance of understanding when he replayed the moment later. "It'll be all right," she whispered, no longer able to guise the desperation in her voice. "Just remember that, Jasper. No matter what, just remember that."

Alice thought she could feel him buckle. She thought she could feel the severity of the situation slamming into him. She felt the urge again to cling to him, to wrap herself around him and shut her eyes to the world. His hand tightened on hers convulsively, nearly painfully. His jaw clenched; his golden eyes widened. He opened his mouth, as if to answer, as if to ask, but suddenly, as if from no where, four figures in black hoods stepped into the clearing.

She felt her fear flare through her numbness. She stared at Jasper for the tiniest fraction of a moment, drinking in his beauty, replaying all of their shared memories in one painful, joyous flash. He looked up, seeing the hooded figures as if it was all happening in slow motion. He eyed them for a moment and then stared down at her, his eyes wide with dawning realization.

And in that one breathless second, all of her thoughts ceased. In that second, her thoughts went dark, her memories went muddy, and her feelings, the very core of her beliefs shifted.

* * *

Jasper closed his mouth, his eyes wide as his gaze whipped wildly from the cloaked figures to Alice and then back again. He saw Jane and Demetri and two others he didn't recognize. His heart lurched as it all started to make sense.

He looked again at Alice. Her eyes were strangely vacant, her brow furrowed in confusion. Pulling free from him, she took cautious steps toward the group, her feet unsteady as if she was fighting against some unseen tug.

"Alice!" Jasper cried, darting forward, his hand extended.

But little Jane stepped forward, her eyes sharp and piercing as her gaze bore into Jasper. He felt the pain immediately, acutely, every nerve in his body burning. His knees buckled, his muscles betraying him as he writhed in agony, unable to move as two other cloaked figures led his Alice away.

"Alice!" His mind was cloudy, overwhelmed by that imagined pain, but he could still call her name.

"She's coming with us now," Jane said, her snakelike voice high and smooth, her expression one of cold satisfaction. "She is too big of a threat."

His aching throat managed to shove out his words in between gasping breaths and little yelps. "She is a threat to no one."

"She undermines the power of the Volturi. They cannot do their job while she can predict and combat their every move."

Jasper breathed through clenched teeth, making little hissing sounds as his muscles twitched and his body squirmed. He forced his jaw to move, to open around the one word that had any sort of meaning through the red haze of pain. "Alice!" he shouted again, pooled venom flying from his mouth with the effort.

His eyes were hazy as he saw her stop, saw her turn and stare at him with strangely detached confusion. Her brow furrowed, and one of the men laid his hand on her arm. "I know him," she muttered. She turned to look at the man. "I know that man there. The golden-eyed man."

"No," the cloaked man whispered, as if he didn't know his lines in the little play, as if he was decidedly uncomfortable with having to speak at all. "No you don't. Come along."

He turned her away gently, keeping her on their path even as she craned her neck to stare again at Jasper. Jasper shouted her name again and again, watching as Alice finally gave up trying to watch, as she turned her head away and disappeared into the trees. He felt his heart break with a snap and suddenly the pain that Jane was causing seemed remarkably dim by comparison. He planted his hands in the dirt, struggling to stand, to follow, to do _something_. All the while, Alice's name was falling from his lips again and again.

He struggled with his muscles, pushing himself up and falling and pushing himself up again until Jane spoke, quietly. "Do not follow us. The others are watching. You cannot kill them all."

She glided away, an infuriatingly pleased smile on her face. Jasper's physical pain subsided as she moved into the trees. He gasped, panting in the dirt as he struggled for control of his body. He lay there, his breathing heavy as he shook his head to clear the haze.

Then he leapt to his feet, his fists clenched. He took one step in the direction they had disappeared, then two. He stopped as he heard rustling in the bushes. Cloaked figures filled the clearing. He dropped to a crouch, his lips pulled back over his teeth menacingly. The guard stood and waited, clearly prepared to let him commit the crime that would be his death sentence.

Jasper's frantic mind screamed at him to stop, to think. They had Alice, and he was alone and outnumbered. He could never get her back if he was dead. He would never see her again if he was dead. She was safe for the moment. Aro coveted her power too much to destroy her. His knees slowly straightened, his face dropped its threatening mask. He raised his hands in a sign of surrender. A good soldier always knew when to retreat and regroup.

And Jasper was a very good soldier.

_It'll be all right_, she had said. _It'll be all right._

He backed away slowly, his eyes nearly blinded in the unnaturally bright sun, in the whitewash of his panic. His chest ached with fear, with rage, with utter disbelief. In a life filled with so many sins, it felt like he was committing the gravest and most unforgivable of them all as he forced himself to back up, to move himself ever farther away from Alice.

The cloaked figures faded back into the trees and he turned and ran. He was running nowhere, lost in anguish. The trees flew past him in dizzying streams of brown and green as he ran for minutes, maybe for hours, possibly for days. He stopped, falling to his knees. And for the first time, he thought that his lack of tears was the greatest injustice of his vampiric life. How could he possibly pour out his immeasurable grief with tearless sobs?

Jasper swallowed them down as they rose into his throat, wanting nothing to do with the inadequate display of emotion. He slapped his hands onto the ground, ignoring the cloud of dust that rose around him, aching for relief, desperate for some gesture to lessen the unbelievable pain.

An unearthly yell rose from his throat as his fingers curled into the dirt. It was a cry of loss, of heartache, of tremendous grief and fear. He panted, his hands still gripping the earth as he fought for calm, as he reached into reserves he didn't know he possessed. He had to be calm for her, had to reach down deep and remember that he had allies and friends and that the Volturi had so entirely overstepped the bounds of their power.

His fingers dug into the dirt again, another uncontrollable yell bursting forth, the tone deep and forceful. It was threat. A promise. An oath.

A battle cry.

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Note: And we're off.

Thanks to everyone that prompted me to write this and showed interest.

New chapter on Thursday. Please review!

- Brynna


	2. Down the Rabbit Hole

Disclaimer: The Twilight universe belongs to Stephenie Meyer. A very small snippet of dialogue belongs to Lewis Carroll.

A/N: Thanks to Guardgirl12 and alybee for some fantastic beta work. You gals are awesome.

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**Chapter 2 – Down The Rabbit Hole**

His mind rushed into action as soon as he stood from the dusty ground, as soon as he got himself together and sprinted for their abandoned hotel room. At the very least, he'd need to know what he was up against, who the new members of the guard were that were able to so confuse Alice. His sharp brain pinpointed the people who could help him immediately.

When Jasper first met Alice, he was steadfastly independent, completely content to never again rely on anyone for help. Alice changed all that. He needed _her_. Desperately. Unquestionably. But for her, he could need others, could ask for help, could beg if he had to. For her, he would do anything.

He blinked as he entered their room, somehow surprised to see it exactly as they left it. Their bed was still dishevelled from their lovemaking the night before. Her jacket was still tossed over the desk chair. His towel was still in a damp heap on the bathroom floor, preventing the door from closing.

The ache spread into his chest again. Had it really been only hours since they'd been in the room together? It somehow felt like decades, like an agonizing eternity.

The loss was beginning to feel more and more acute until the ache became nearly paralyzing. He tried to force it down again, gasping as he struggled once more for calm. He sank to the bed, fighting to ignore her overpowering scent there. "Oh, God," he whispered, his stomach in knots, "Oh, God. Oh, God."

He thrust his hand into his hair, feeling unbearably alone, the sobs tearing their way through his throat again. He let them come this time, let them rise up and out, again cursing his lack of tears. She needed him to be strong. She needed him to get it together and figure this all out.

But he needed his moment. With her scent overwhelming him and her presence everywhere in the room, her absence was undeniably real.

The sobs felt foreign, inadequate, but his grief felt so huge. The ache was choking him, his shoulders shaking convulsively as he held his head in his hand. "Oh, God," he whispered again on a final shudder, some part of his brain reminding him that he would have the whole hotel in tears if he wasn't careful.

He scrubbed a hand over his dry face, the ache still present in his chest. He would have to learn to live with it, to accept it as his companion. He pressed his hand there, to the place where his heart lie, still and unbeating. He pressed hard, his eyes closing as he tried to work out his next step, as he tried to see what he should do, who he should turn to first.

His legs felt shaky as he pushed himself off the bed. He crossed to the desk, and unzipped the purse Alice had tossed there. Jasper's fingers were shaking as he dug through her belongings. His heart lurched painfully as he shoved aside her wallet and sunglasses and cosmetic bag and some slips of paper. His hand brushed against what he was looking for and he thrust his hand toward it, gripping it like a lifeline. Her little pink cell phone felt unbearably heavy in his hand.

He shoved at his hair, his still heart somewhere in the region of his throat as he flipped the phone open. He was about to make all of this real. He felt a dizzying numbness set in as he pushed the button to activate the contact list. He pressed 'Send' when the first name was highlighted. His hand trembled as he lifted the phone.

"Hello?" a silky voice asked.

"Bella." His voice was raspy and he rushed to speak before she could say his name. "Just listen. Go somewhere private. I – I need you to be where no one can hear you."

"All right," she whispered. He could almost hear her brow furrowing over the line. Her footsteps were audible as she walked with care, instinctively realizing that she should walk slowly to avoid suspicion. "All right, I'm in the clearing. What's wrong, Jasper?"

He scrubbed a hand over his face, the numbness spreading. "Alice is gone." The words sounded too loud, too concrete. He gulped around them, trying to breathe again around the enormity of the admission. She made a little sound of distress and then waited for him to finish. "Demetri and some other members of the guard they – they have her." There was silence on the line and then another strangled sound. "Bella?" he whispered.

She took a deep breath and then let it out in one shaky sigh. "I don't – I can't understand."

Jasper cradled his forehead in his hand and listened as her breathing became more and more ragged. It tore again at his stomach, exacerbating the unbelievable ache. "I know," he choked on the words, "I don't think – I don't understand either."

"What do we do?" Her voice was tiny, scared.

"I haven't thought it all through yet but – but I think we are going to need Eleazar. Do you think you can convince Esme to invite Tanya and her family over?"

There was a pause. "Why do you need Eleazar?"

"There were – the other members of the guard, I didn't know them. They have some kind of talent. She seemed confused." Jasper pressed his fingers into his eyes. "Bella, do you think you can convince Esme?"

"Yes. Yes, I'll do whatever you need me to do."

"I need you to pretend you know nothing. I know – Alice said – I need you to try," he stammered. He didn't have the time or the inclination to give her the acting lesson that Alice had always seemed to feel she needed. "It's best if only you know, just in case we have to convince Aro or...I don't know..." He pushed an anxious hand through his hair again and dropped his voice to a trembling whisper. "This was always her speciality."

"She didn't leave you any clues?"

"I don't know. I haven't found anything. I don't..." He let the words trail off as he shoved his fingers through his hair again. "I'm used to knowing what to do." Jasper shut his eyes and took a breath, hearing the ruin in his voice, hearing the utter devastation.

There was another pause, longer this time. He could hear Bella's shaky breathing. "Jasper," she said in a small voice, "are you okay?"

A strange sound burst forth from his lips. It was somewhere between a gasp and a sob and a bit of laughter, and in the middle of it all, there was a single word, "No."

He heard her sigh again. "You need to calm down," she whispered, sounding anything but calm herself. "You need to calm down so we can get her back."

He allowed himself one steadying breath, then two. "Yeah," he said. "Yeah. Has Jacob been around lately?"

"Yes."

"Make sure you invite him to whatever you plan to get Eleazar to visit."

She breathed again for long seconds. "We have to do this now? Hide things from her."

"Her visions are Aro's now."

"Right. Right. When are you coming home?"

"Not until I figure out what to do. If I formulate a plan and then Edward hears and then Aro..." He couldn't finish. His thoughts were muddied. He didn't live twelve steps in the future. Even with the clearest of minds, he counted on Alice to guide him.

"Where will you go?"

Jasper heard the hitch in her voice, the little marker of her fear. "I think I'll find Peter and Charlotte. Maybe he'll – maybe I can figure this out."

There was a long pause and he could imagine her considering the situation. When she did speak, her words were forceful and suddenly clear. "Promise you won't go to Italy alone."

He shook his head. His hand suddenly trembled. "You and Alice," he whispered, thinking of their bond, of how quickly they'd become attuned. It might be Bella saying the words, but he knew it was Alice's request.

"She'd want me to say it. Promise, Jasper."

"I can't promise that. But it's a last resort."

"All right." Her voice was small again and he could again hear her struggle for calm.

"You don't know anything, Bella. As far as you know, we are still on vacation."

"Okay," she whispered.

"It might not matter but, I want to cover all my bases. I have to make sure."

There was another pause and then another small whisper. "Okay."

"I'll be in touch. Keep your cell phone on you."

"I will. Be safe."

Jasper shut the little cell phone. He leaned his head against it and allowed himself a moment to breathe, to live in the climate of his unbelievable failure. He hadn't kept her safe. The one person he had vowed to always keep safe was taken from him.

It had long been his fear. Since the day that Edward had explained the depth of Aro's want, it had been his fear that he would figure out a way to have Alice and her unique gift. He needed to figure this all out. The way he saw it, he had three options. He could get her back, join the Volturi himself, or die. It was a constant truth, the all or nothing absolute that ruled his life – he had Alice or he had nothing. He had Alice or he had death.

He kept his eyes closed as he saw it all again in his mind's eye, as he replayed the nauseating details. He watched them taking her again and again, watched her confusion, watched the strange man touch her arm and lead her away.

Jasper stood to pack their belongings, tossing her cell phone into her open purse. He looked around the room, feeling helpless again, feeling overwhelmed by all the thoughts and plans and eventualities that were flying through his head. He pulled their bags onto the bed and unzipped hers. His heart lurched again as he saw her book lying on top. It was creased, the edges fraying, the pages yellow and warped. The woodcut image of Alice and the white rabbit on the cover was nearly entirely faded, rubbed off from being held countless times.

Jasper allowed himself a tiny smile as he flipped through the pages. He never imagined she'd love the book so much when he gave it to her, but she had read Lewis Carroll's book again and again, lovingly taping in pages when they came loose from their bindings. She refused to let him replace it with a newer copy and Jasper suspected that she would keep reading it until it completely fell apart.

He tucked it deep into the pocket of his bag, intent upon keeping it safe until she was back with him. He shoved their other belongings into their bags less carefully, thinking only of the tasks at hand. Pack bags, check out, call Peter, get in car, drive. There were about four hundred steps before he could get to "save Alice." He might not live twelve steps in the future, but he could act, he could take one step at a time. He could get to step four hundred. Because no one, not even Aro knew Alice as well as he did.

And he was going to get her back.

* * *

Bella stared at her phone as she snapped it shut. If she still dreamed, she would be fighting to wake from this nightmare. Would they never be free from the Volturi?

All of the questions that she dared not ask Jasper tumbled around in her mind until she felt breathless, until she felt herself shudder, until she felt her still heart give a painful twist.

She calmed herself, choking on her sobs as she fought them down, shaking her head to shelve the sadness. _Alice is fine_, she told herself. _Alice is on vacation. Alice will be back in a week. Alice is fine._

She repeated the words again and again until she could almost believe them. Bella touched her face with a steady hand, happy for the changes that went with becoming a vampire. She could smooth her expression easily. She had no tears to redden her eyes or puff up her face.

Bella sighed and brushed at her hair with a fluttering hand, somehow convinced that dishevelled hair would give away her new secret. She always had to be "on" now. She could no longer feign fatigue or illness to avoid acting.

She walked slowly back to the house, giving herself more time to convince herself that Alice was okay. That she and Jasper would be returning as scheduled.

"Where did you go?" Edward asked, as soon as she stepped through the door.

"I got a phone call." He raised his eyebrows, not asking the obvious question but still making his curiosity known. "Alice," she said with a nearly painful roll of her eyes. "She's got it in her head that we need a party for Renesmee."

"Why?"

"She says we have to celebrate her impending physical maturity. She wants me to ask Esme to invite Tanya and her family." The lie was rolling off her tongue with alarming ease.

Edward tilted his head, his sharp eyes searching. "What's wrong?"

"Ah," she said lamely, making him tilt his head even further. "You know me and parties."

"Just tell her 'no.'" Edward waved his hand dismissively, clearly believing her for the moment.

"I think I'll indulge her," Bella said with what she hoped was a convincing sigh. "Do you think Esme will invite Tanya and Eleazar and the others if I ask?"

Edward looked a little curious again. "Sure," he said carefully, "I don't see why not." He sounded like he was doing a great deal of thinking in between each word, as if he was looking for the truth there, the real meaning.

Bella sighed again. _Alice is fine. Alice and Jasper are coming home soon._ "I'd better go ask. You know how Alice will be if I don't."

He nodded, his brow dipped into a deep furrow. "All right."

She forced a smile and then fled up the stairs, cursing her terrible acting skills with every step.

* * *

She felt strange in the darkness.

She could feel a hand pressed into the small of her back. Another was encircling her wrist loosely. But it all felt so far away, as if she had suddenly become two different people. She was the girl in the darkness and the one being led by firm fingers. But she couldn't quite figure out how the two fit together.

Her hand rose in the darkness, testing the limit of her sight. It was the same hand that was being tugged by encircling fingers but she found she could raise it with no problem. Yes, it seemed she really was two different people entirely.

She held her hand very close to her face but she could see nothing in the absolute black, in the dizzying void. She had no footing, no point of origin. She could be floating or falling or flying or standing on solid ground and it would all feel the same.

She looked around, whirling and twisting in whatever blackout she had wandered into, looking for...something. Then she saw it, the tiniest spark of light in the distance. As tiny as it was, it was blinding in such darkness. It hurt to look directly at it but she moved closer, stepping carefully, wary of the possibility of stepping off into some unseen abyss.

The light grew brighter, the glow spread, beckoning her to move faster. Everything about it was warm, was comforting, was welcoming her in. Her movements were fluid, graceful as a dancer's but still she felt clumsy as she tested each step with a poke of her toe.

The light was shifting, shimmering, and she blinked, hoping to hold onto her path. All at once, she was there, the darkness was behind her and she was standing in the light.

Her brow furrowed and she held up her hand again. She could see it now. It was small and pale. It was perfect. She ran her fingers through her chin-length hair and tugged on a chunk to bring the ends in front of her eyes. She frowned at the shiny black strands. She pushed it back into place and let her fingertips sweep across her face. Nothing was familiar.

Why was nothing familiar?

She looked behind her, watched as the edges of light blurred into the darkness. When she turned back, the light was met by a dusty path and there, on the ground, was the golden-eyed man.

She stepped forward cautiously, watching him writhe in the dirt, watching him call out a name. What was he saying? The word sounded garbled as he shouted in his panic.

She stepped closer and squatted, her knees drawn up to her chest as she considered him. "Are you shouting for me?" she asked. Her own voice startled her, even as she heard something familiar in it.

The golden-eyed man stopped writhing, stopped shouting. His body relaxed and he turned to face her with a crooked little smile. "What do you think?"

He was lovely when his face was relaxed. There was an ethereal quality about him. He was beautiful, so beautiful. She wanted to touch him, but instead, she rested her chin on her knees and watched as he pulled himself into a sitting position.

"They said I don't know you."

"Did they?" His voice was smooth, slightly accented. It was so familiar, so obviously a part of her.

"They lied?"

He scooted closer. "Are you asking, or telling?"

"Telling." She dropped into the dirt, crossing her legs and moving close so that their knees were nearly touching.

"What name were you yelling, just now?"

He smiled again, that same crooked smile that went through her like a jolt of electricity. "Your name."

"I don't remember it."

"Must a name mean something?"

His grin was huge and her head tilted at the familiar words. "Of course it must," she answered, the words springing from her mouth before she could question where they came from.

"With a name like yours, you might be any shape, almost."

She felt her brow furrow and touched her forehead with gentle fingers. "Those words. I know those words."

"Yes, you do." He leaned forward slightly and pillowed his cheek in his hand. "You've read them a thousand times. Your favorite book."

She tilted her head again and pursed her lips. It came to her just as the words had, flying into her mind unbidden. "I'm Alice?" she breathed. He nodded and she smiled, felt the corners of her mouth pull up. "Alice," she said again. "Yes, that's right."

"Do you know my name?"

Alice grinned and reached out a hand to touch his knee gently as she realized she did know his name. "You're my Jasper."

He laughed and the sound was so lovely, so melodic, that her heart gave a sharp twist. "That's right."

"Why do I see you? Why do I remember my book?"

He shrugged. "Perhaps it's easier for you to remember the things that are the most ingrained."

Alice was confused. She felt as if there were a thousand things that she was a breath away from remembering, a thousand words that were just on the tip of her tongue. And yet they were all entirely inaccessible. She shook her head slightly. "It was easier to find your name than mine."

"That's how it is. Each other first."

"Each other first," she repeated. "And will I find more memories?"

"The brain knows what it knows, Alice." Jasper stood and trailed light fingers over her jaw. "You're about to get on a plane. They're going to let you out."

"Let me out?"

He nodded. "I have to go now but I'll be back."

She squinted as the light started shifting again, as everything blurred and faded. Alice felt the hand loosen on the wrist of the other girl and with a startled gasp, those two pieces of her merged again. She blinked in the light of the airport, glancing around as the sights and sounds nearly overwhelmed her senses.

Alice glanced briefly at Jane and Demetri and the rest and then turned her attention to the man next to her. His kind face was contorted into a mask of concern for her. She gave him a reassuring smile. "Hello, Eion."

He glanced down at her, his dark hair falling in his eyes, one corner of his mouth drawing up slightly. "Remarkable gift."

She raised her eyebrow. "Yours too."

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his Scottish brogue on full display as his voice lowered.

She shook her head and touched her temple. "I saw you before. I saw it all and I know. I know. I would do anything for my mate, too." Alice felt her heart twist painfully at the thought but she ignored it, knowing she had to keep focused. She looked ahead at Jane, watching as she stepped lightly through the terminal. "Take my hand again when we pass security," Alice said, "don't let go."

"All right." His voice was soft, his eyes trusting and confused, all at once. He looked down at her for long moments, opening his mouth as if he had so much to say. "I can't..." he let his words trail, his eyes darting again to Jane.

Alice nodded sharply. "Don't," she said. She knew he wanted to explain things, to reassure her. There were things she wished she could tell him as well. But they both knew that Aro would take her other hand the second they got to Volterra. Her thoughts would be his. Her visions would be his. And any words or thoughts shared between them could hold some tiny clue that would benefit Aro.

She resisted the urge to look ahead, to see if anything about the future had changed. Every part of her ached to check on Jasper but she knew she couldn't. She knew it was safer for everyone if she didn't know.

They stood in line for security and Alice glanced again at Eion. "As soon as we get through security," she repeated.

"Yeah."

"Don't let go," she instructed once more. "Don't let go unless they visit."

She stepped through the metal detector before he could ask who 'they' were. Before she had time to think about all her past visions, before she had time to think about what Jasper might be planning, Eion was though security and she was plunged back into the darkness.

* * *

Note: Thanks so much for all the terrific feedback. I'm so glad that so many of you enjoyed the last chapter.

A lot of you asked a lot of really great questions in your reviews and a few of them, I answered in my replies. Most will be answered as the story unfolds. Just remember that this is a long story so some of the mysteries might be answered in the fifth chapter and some might be answered in the twentieth. But, stick around for the duration. It's all going to come together. :)

New chapter on Monday.

Please review!

- Brynna


	3. All the Shattered Pieces

Disclaimer: The Twilight universe belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

A/N: Thanks to Guardgirl12 and alybee for the awesome beta work.

* * *

**Chapter 3 – All The Shattered Pieces**

"Alice wants a party for Nessie?" Esme repeated.

"Yes. And she wants to invite Tanya and her family," Bella said again.

Esme frowned at Bella's wringing hands, at her nervous little smile, at her sad eyes. "And Alice called? From her vacation?"

"Right." Bella shifted from foot to foot. "Would you mind calling Tanya?"

Esme bit her lip gently, her thoughts racing as she worked to figure out what she was really asking. "I suppose. It has been awhile since they visited."

"So you think they'll come?" Bella's hands stilled as she clasped them together tightly.

"I don't know. I'm sure they will if they are able."

Bella grinned genuinely, the sadness in her eyes momentarily replaced by a happy little glint. "Thanks Esme."

Esme frowned again as Bella left her room. Bella really was the worst actress.

She glanced at Carlisle. He was settled in her desk chair, his finger holding the place in whatever novel he was reading. "That was really odd," he said softly.

She nodded and stared at the door. "Is Edward home?"

"Yes, why?"

Esme shook her head, not willing to let her thoughts take shape while Edward was close enough to hear them. She fiddled with the phone on their bedside table and shook her head. "I've never known Alice to call during one of their vacations unless she was warning us about something."

Carlisle shrugged and laid his book on the desk. "You know Alice and parties though. If she wants a party, distance isn't going to stop her."

She forced a smile. "'That's true."

They stared at each other, each searching the other's face, looking for some sign that they either believed her or didn't. They heard the front door open. She tilted her head as she listened to the footsteps. Everyone but Rose retreated outside. Esme looked out the window as she heard the front door close with a loud thud. She watched Emmett and Edward race into the trees. Nessie danced along after them. Bella trudged slowly behind, her feet dragging in the grass.

Esme frowned again and her mind raced. Bella twisted to look up at her window. Esme smiled slightly and Bella forced a smile of her own. She waved and then took off after Nessie, suddenly playful, clearly working for nonchalance.

"Strange," Esme breathed.

"Do you want to call Alice?" Carlisle asked. "Maybe something's happened."

She shook her head. "If Bella's lying, there's a reason."

He leaned forward in the chair, his hands hooked together. "So you're going to call Tanya."

She shrugged. "I suppose."

He sighed as she fiddled again with the phone. "Why do I get the feeling our lives are about to get a whole lot more interesting?"

* * *

Aro could only grin as Eion and the others led Alice through the doorway. Finally, he had Alice. Finally!

With her at his right hand, he was nearly omniscient. With her at his right hand, there were no threats that the Volturi could not face.

"This is a mistake," Caius hissed. "You will bring war down upon us."

Aro shook his head, his smile still in place as Eion guided Alice gently. Her eyes were vacant, her movement tense, nearly robotic. "From Carlisle? Carlisle doesn't fight wars."

"You said yourself that her mate was a soldier."

Aro waved a hand, determined not to let Caius spoil his mood. "We have been over this, Caius." His voice was cheerful. "We must neutralize our greatest threats to lead effectively."

"The covens that joined to oppose us could overthrow us. Even without the girl." Caius's voice was low and fast, his tone an angry snarl. "Carlisle might not wage war, but we do not know her mate. Maybe he inspires the same loyalty."

Aro turned to face his brother. "I have been inside her thoughts, inside Edward's thoughts. There is nothing to fear. Perhaps her mate will come join us. His power could prove quite useful!"

Caius shook his head, a sour expression plastered onto his face. "This is foolish. They have the shield. They have allies."

Aro leaned forward. His voice was a purr but he knew Caius wouldn't miss the edge there. "We will be able to lead that much more effectively with Alice here. She will allow us to prevent crimes. If her mate decides to strike at us, decides to gather his allies, we will see it and we will neutralize that threat as well. And then we will persuade Bella to join us, and Edward, and Zafrina, and Kate, just as we have with Alice. This is the _right_ action to take. This is the only action that assures our _future_."

Caius leaned back in his chair, his face the picture of burning anger. Aro sympathized with Caius. Caius often had trouble seeing the big picture. He simply saw the immediate threat, the immediate danger to their way of life. Yes, perhaps there would be a fight. Perhaps the guard would have to...dismantle the Cullen coven. But the benefits Alice brought to their little company far outweighed the dangers.

He had seen her mate in her mind. They lived for each other. He had considered bringing them both but Jasper would have to come on his own, would have to ask, would have to have thoughts that matched his request. And if he didn't, if he tried to stage some kind of uprising instead, well, that would be most unfortunate.

Eion pushed Alice forward carefully and Aro reached out a thin hand. "Alice! We are so happy to have you."

Alice blinked and turned her empty stare toward Aro. She remained silent but her lips curved as Cilla stepped close behind her. Such a delightful addition to the guard Cilla was proving to be!

Aro held his hand out and Alice took it obediently. Aro watched intently as all of her thoughts became his. He saw all of it, every thought, every vision, every fear. He saw her speculation on what her mate would do. He saw the vision of her mate's destruction, the willingness with which she went to meet the guard in order to save him. Aro smiled brilliantly as he let her hand go. "Fascinating," he said softly. Aro turned to Caius and grinned. "Fascinating," he said again.

He turned his attention back to Alice and Eion. "She's still thinking about her mate."

Eion shrugged, his chin tilted up in defiance. "I'm touching her, aren't I? I'm focusing. You know as well as I do that my power works differently with each person."

"You are right, Eion," Aro soothed. "Do not think I was insulting your ability. It is just interesting that she remembers her mate."

"That's not so surprising," Eion whispered through clenched teeth.

Aro clucked his tongue with a gentle smile. "You should invite your mate to join us. She has an interesting power of her own."

Eion shuddered and shook his head. "Leave her out of this."

"As you wish."

"We should get her some food," Eion said, his voice morose.

Aro looked back, noted Alice's darkened eyes with a start. "Oh! Of course. Heidi, perhaps you could go hunting for us."

Heidi stepped forward with a beautiful smile. "Of course."

Eion hissed slightly. "I could take Alice hunting. You know she doesn't drink human blood."

Aro tilted his head, considering them both with slightly narrowed eyes. When he did speak, his voice was firm, commanding, the thread of kindness diminishing as his impatience rose. "She is a member of the Volturi guard now, not a Cullen. She eats as the rest of us eat." He turned to Heidi with a nod. "Don't keep us waiting long."

* * *

Alice stood very still in the darkness, waiting to see the light again. It felt like an eternity since she saw her dream Jasper last. If she concentrated very, very hard, she could hear what the other Alice was hearing, the Alice that was being led again by those firm fingers.

The light came out of nowhere, an explosion this time instead of a tiny flame. She scrambled back a half dozen steps as the light came to her this time. It rushed forward as if it was going to slam into her, as if it was going to envelop her. She held a hand over her eyes, shielding them from the intensity of the blinding glow.

And then it softened. As quickly as the light burst into her darkness, it was replaced by a warm glow. Alice pulled her hand away and eyed the streetlights through tightly narrowed eyes. She opened them slowly when she saw how dim the lights truly were. It was dusk on the street, the lights had just flickered on.

Alice stepped forward. Her feet crunched on the pebbles of the pavement. Automobiles were in the street as if they had stopped mid-journey. Alice stepped carefully toward a taxi cab. She peered inside, curious now about the scene. There were bodies inside, nameless shapeless people that were little more than dummies. She poked at one with a curious finger. It floated right through. Alice jerked her hand back and moved to the next car, poking again at the "people" inside.

She heard thunder rumble and pulled her head from the open window. Rain started to fall in fat drops. She immediately shielded her head and instinctively ran for the sidewalk. She pulled open the glass door. She stopped inside, grinning hugely.

There he was.

Jasper hopped off the stool, his long legs unfolding, his feet touching the ground so lightly, he may have been floating. He stalked toward her, his expression set in the one she must know the best. His eyes were filled with love, never wavering from their contact with hers. His smile was soft, a little crooked, and completely adoring. "You've kept me waiting a long time," he said, a teasing tone in his voice.

"I'm sorry," she said automatically. She sucked in a breath when he held out his hand. "This is how we met," she breathed.

"Yes, in reverse."

"You called me 'ma'am.'" She laid her hand in his. "And you took my hand."

His grin grew. His pride was written across his face as he took a deep breath and squeezed her hand. "You found another memory."

She closed her eyes briefly as his fingers wrapped tight around hers. "A good one."

"Would you like to sit?" Jasper motioned toward the booth in the back corner.

She nodded and he led the way, his hand warm and firm in hers. Alice looked around as they walked. Some of the people had faces now. The woman behind the counter had her red hair in a braid. Her cat's eye glasses were perched on the end of her nose. She held the order pad in her hand, her pen poised over the paper. The man in the kitchen was round and cheerful looking, his cheeks rosy, his smile wide. Various diners sat in booths and at the counter, nursing cups of coffee or half eaten burgers.

They were all motionless. The entire scene looked as if someone had pushed the pause button. "Why is no one moving?"

Jasper slid into the booth, all long limbs and unconscious grace. "You don't remember what they were doing once I walked in."

"Oh." Alice settled in across from him. "And the people outside?"

"You weren't outside. You just imagined there were cars and added them to your memory."

"Very strange," she whispered.

He smiled softly. "Your mind."

She laughed and leaned forward, her hands were suddenly cupping a warm mug of coffee as if the scene was catching up with her returning memory. Jasper watched her intently as his fingers made meandering little paths over the smooth surface of the table. She watched the paths, grinning when she saw that he was writing her name again and again. "I feel like you aren't the Jasper everyone else sees, like this is all private."

He smiled that crooked little smile. "You do see a different Jasper than anyone else. And I see a different Alice."

"What are you like normally?"

He opened his mouth as his eyes narrowed, searching for the answer. She searched with him. If he was in her mind, he knew what she knew. He closed his mouth and smiled, his eyes relaxing as they found the answer together. "This is how you've always seen me."

One corner of her mouth pulled up as her lips pressed together. She touched her forehead lightly. "We're in my mind."

"Yes."

"Down the rabbit hole and through the tiny door and into the garden?"

He laughed again. "You have to stop reading that book." His fingers stopped and reversed their course. Long black streaks trailed over the table as he drew, as his fingertips made their paths. Alice laid her head close to the table, searching for the ink, for the magic there. There was nothing, his fingers were as pale as ever, hovering a breath away from the surface of the table. "Your mind," he whispered again as an explanation.

The drawing took shape. Suddenly it was a little white rabbit with a waist coat and a pocket watch. She smiled at the familiar image. "Is this you? Are you going to guide me through this strange land." Alice laughed as she said it, spreading her arms and using a booming, theatrical voice.

His expression was more serious as he met her gaze. "The darkness will – it will drive you to madness."

"The white rabbit got Alice more lost."

Her imaginary Jasper shrugged, his arms held out over the picture of the rabbit. "I'm a part of your mind. A defense against the darkness."

"You'll stay with me?"

He held out his hand and she considered it for a moment before placing her hand in his. "I'm yours to keep or send away."

"Keep," she whispered. "Keep."

* * *

Jasper was settled at Peter and Charlotte's table. He had driven to their house as soon as he checked out of the hotel. As soon as he got there, he felt useless, anxious as he waited for news from Bella.

His head was pillowed in his hand. The fingers of his other hand were making little trails across the table. When Alice sketched, her method was much the same. She made wild lines, senseless little strokes of the pencil that somehow became whole portraits, whole renderings of her thoughts.

She said once that she wondered what his idle little paths would make. Would they be scribbles? Just mindless little symbols of his boredom or nerves or discomfort. Or would they be something great? He smiled at the thought as his eyes traced the lines. Scribbles, undoubtedly. But it was so like Alice to see the greatness in him, to see the greatness in the most mundane of his actions.

"Jasper," Peter said softly.

Jasper lifted his head, wondering how long he'd been calling his name. "Yeah?"

"What's your plan?"

He linked his fingers together, watched as Charlotte leaned against the door frame behind Peter. "I don't know, exactly. I'm going to see if Edward and Eleazar will go to Italy."

Peter glanced back at Charlotte before his eyes settled again on Jasper. "And then what?"

"Then I'll know what I'm up against."

Peter leaned forward, his fingers linked together. "We need plans, Jasper. Are – are we fighting? Are we forcing their hand? Are you joining them? What are your plans?"

Jasper shook his head. "How can I plan without knowing what I'm up against? I'm – I'm trying to do this the right way." He touched the table again, making letters, spelling out her name. "If I run in there right now and try to get her out, I'll probably get us both killed. I'm trying to be smart."

Charlotte moved to sit next to Jasper. She pushed at her blonde hair before she spoke, brushing it out of her eyes. "If they just want Alice, what will you do?"

"I'll join them." He answered automatically, no hesitation in his voice. "And I'll wait for an opportunity to get her out of there."

Peter glanced again at his mate, his eyes flicking over for the tiniest moment. "What if this is just the first strike?"

Jasper frowned, his eyebrows drawing together as he considered the question. "Then I suppose I'll need to know if you'll stand with me."

Peter and Charlotte gazed at each other for a long moment, a whole conversation passing between them. "Of course, Jasper," Peter said. "Of course."

Jasper let out a breath on a shaky sigh. Somehow it was easier with confirmed allies in his corner. Whatever he chose to do, he'd have Peter and Charlotte on his side. He knew he could count on the Cullens as well and Tanya and her family. It wasn't enough, not nearly enough if they had to take on the Volturi and the guard, but it was a start.

It was a start.

* * *

Note: FFN is back up! Finally. If FFN ever goes down again, I'll post the chapter on time on my journal. Check my profile for the link.

Anyway, thanks for all the reviews on the last chapter. I'm a little swamped right now so forgive me for not replying to every review.

New chapter on Thursday. Please review. :)

- Brynna


	4. Apparitions of Your Soul

Disclaimer: The Twilight universe belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

A/N: Thanks to Guardgirl12 and alybee for the fantastic beta work.

* * *

**Chapter 4 – Apparitions of Your Soul**

Eion seethed as he watched Heidi herd in the humans. It wasn't right to force this on Alice, to force any of this on Alice. Cilla hovered annoyingly close and Eion felt his sensibilities changing, felt his mind filling with all the reasons that it was a good idea to force Alice to drink human blood.

He growled at Cilla, just one tiny noise that erupted from deep in his throat. She flitted away, her mane of honey-colored curls bobbing after her. She tossed a grin over her shoulder that set his teeth on edge.

He'd had enough of her.

She was physically too young. Like Jane and Alec before her, Aro had clearly been eager to have her power. He thought she looked about eleven or twelve. Unlike Jane, she was long and lean, pretty rather than cherubic and with a much less obvious sadistic streak. Instead, she was an irritating little brat, determined to exacerbate Eion's unease and bug him at every turn.

Beyond that, she was just past her newborn year and still entirely unpredictable. Her power was profound. The ability to completely sway sensibilities and allegiances and ideas to her way of thinking was rare. And irritating in her untrained hands. She made the trip to the States feel twice as long, made his mood twice as sour.

Eion held Alice's hand tightly as Heidi paraded in the gawking tourists. Aro clapped his pale white hands together, commanding the attention of the crowd. He stood from his chair and turned, nearly automatically to let his hand trail across Alice's. He'd done that since they arrived, touching her every few minutes, anxious to see some of the visions he so coveted.

Aro smiled at the crowd of vampires, seeing past the humans, through them as if they were inanimate. To him they were little more than plated meals.

Caius leaned forward and touched Aro's hand. Aro smiled and turned, floating back toward Eion and Alice. "Quite right, brother!" he exclaimed. "We must let our newest friends eat first."

Aro raised his thin eyebrows. Eion stared him down, shifting to hold tighter to Alice. "I'm not new."

Aro clucked his tongue. "Oh, but you've been away so long." His voice was patronizing, cloying, and it set Eion's teeth on edge. "And Alice is new. Please, I insist." Eion saw what he was doing. Caius had the slightest grin on his face and was taking obvious pleasure in Eion's discomfort. Eion could see Heidi leading the humans ever closer. Marcus stood lazily, looking as bored as always.

Eion stood with a sigh. He'd hoped that he and Alice could hang back, could wait until the smell of spilled blood would force her nature to take over. "Come on, Alice," he muttered, stalking past Aro and tugging Alice along.

The humans were shifting nervously, clearly beginning to realize that not all was right. Eion moved quickly, feeling Aro's eyes watching his every movement. Eion met Alice's vacant eyes and grimaced at the hints of gold that lingered through the darkness. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

He pushed her toward the nearest human, a thin woman with nervous eyes. He cupped the back of Alice's head gently, guiding her toward the racing pulse in the woman's neck. He was dimly aware of the other humans backing up, of shifting feet and rapidly beating hearts.

Alice's head jerked back, some part of her subconscious rebelling against her biological urges. "It's all right," Eion whispered. He leaned close to her ear, lowered his voice until it was barely audible over the woman's ragged breathing.

"Bite."

She hesitated for the briefest of moments, the hesitation speaking volumes for the depth of her resolve, for the strength of her mind. But she couldn't resist the warm, pulsing blood just beneath the pale skin. Alice opened her mouth and the human woman sucked in a breath, as if she were going to scream but Alice lunged, her sharp teeth slicing into the woman's throat as if it were warm butter. Her scream was cut off before it could take hold. Only a little yelp escaped.

All around them, other vampires moved in for their meals, silencing the frenzied humans with practiced precision. Eion turned, his grip still tight on Alice, and tugged over a young man with the misfortune to step a little too close.

Eion yanked the man close and plunged his teeth into his neck. He drank thirstily, angling himself so he could watch Alice. She finished drinking and let the human fall in a heap. She glanced around with wide, dazed eyes and inched closer to Eion until she was tucked in close to his side.

He lowered his human gently and took Alice's other hand. He met her eyes, watched as something akin to realization flitted across her gaze. Eion looked away, unable to stand the sight of her quickened breath and sad eyes. He pulled a handkerchief free from the pocket of his jeans and swiped at the smear of blood on her chin. When he dared to meet her eyes again, they were vacant once more, the gold they had once been, replaced with the typical deep red. Eion sighed again and guided her back to the front of the room. He picked a path over the scattered bodies.

Aro sat in his chair looking content and mildly lethargic. He grinned hugely, watching Eion's every step. Eion spoke before Aro got the chance. "I'm taking her to get cleaned up."

He could hear the rage in his voice, the barely contained anger. His free hand was clenched, his body shaking. Aro's smile only grew. "I'll send Chelsea to help."

"We don't need an escort," Eion growled.

Aro simply smiled as Chelsea stepped to his side. With a deep sigh and a final scowl, he tugged on Alice's hand, following Chelsea, stomping down his useless rage.

With each step, he felt more and more helpless. With each step, he wondered how he could possibly repent for his latest sin.

* * *

Alice stood very still, concentrating with her every cell, listening to whatever was happening to that other Alice, to that girl that seemed so far away. She felt suddenly distressed, as if whatever was happening to her had seeped into her imaginary little world, into the place where she was looking for memories, where she was battling the darkness with her dream Jasper.

She glanced back at him, watching as he stared again at the table, as his fingers again made their paths. "What's going on?" she breathed.

Jasper shrugged. "I know what you know."

She felt something warm on her chin, felt a cloth swipe over her face. She touched her chin lightly, confused by the stickiness there. She pulled her hand away, rubbing her fingers together, smearing them with red. "Blood." She held her hand to her nose and sniffed, her knowledge and memories making sense of what was happening to her corporeal body. "Human blood." She jerked her head back, wiping her fingers anxiously on her jeans. "I'm drinking – " She turned as she spoke, stopping when she saw that he was gone.

Alice moved from the diner, pushing the glass door open and stepping into some strange night. She glanced around, familiar with this scene. She closed her eyes as the memory crashed into her, as she fought to flee this one.

She felt Jasper take her hand. "It doesn't work that way. You don't get to choose."

"I don't want this one," she whispered.

"It's yours."

She opened her eyes and was suddenly a part of the memory. She slid down the tree, her body acting of its own volition as she saw the dead hiker at her feet. The memory took over and she started sobbing, felt her hands begin to shake. She sat alone with the corpse for a long moment, her eyes fixed on the teeth marks at the man's neck.

She heard the grass crunching, felt someone watching her. She lifted her head and Jasper stood a dozen yards away, hesitating as he took in the scene. His eyes widened in shock and she felt something in her heart snap as she saw disappointment flash briefly in his eyes. He'd always believed her to be infallible in this area, had always trusted her to be a steadfast guide through his struggles with abstaining.

As quickly as the disappointment appeared, it faded to be replaced with gentle love. But she had seen it and she knew she deserved it. She pressed her hand to her eyes, knowing they were red, too ashamed to let him see.

She felt him approach with quick steps, felt him stoop and move his face close to hers. Firm fingers wrapped around her wrist and pulled her hand away. She kept her eyes closed and felt a jolt as he pressed his lips first to one eyelid and then the other. "Come on," he whispered. "Let's go, Alice. I'll come back and take care of it."

She shook her head wordlessly, her eyes opening to lock on the corpse. "I saw his future before – " She swallowed, "before I – He was going to get married. Her name is Annie. He was in love with her and I couldn't – I couldn't stop myself."

Jasper lifted her, sliding one arm under her knees, the other under her shoulders. He pressed a kiss to her head as he walked. "It's all right. We all mess up."

She shook her head, craning her neck to see the body. He shifted, pressing her face into his neck with a firm hand. She shut her eyes and suddenly, she felt the memory release her, felt shaky as she suddenly went from being carried to standing with no transition to ease the change in position. She was reminded with that jolt that she was in her mind, that the experience was far in the past, that the sensation of being carried was all in the fabric of that awful memory.

Her imaginary Jasper was standing beside her. "You got another memory."

"I don't want those," she whispered. "Not here. They don't help anything."

Jasper shrugged. "They all matter. And you can't command your brain to work differently."

She pressed her hand to her eyes. "Is this what dreaming is like?"

"I don't know. You don't remember dreaming."

She shook her head, thinking about the other Alice, the one that was drinking human blood. "He's going to look at me like that again," she muttered.

He tugged her hand away. "Will I?" he asked.

She stared into his eyes, trying to find it, trying to locate whatever answer she was hoping for. It hit her suddenly, breathlessly, her body tensing as she spied the future.

_She was in a cloak, her eyes deep red as the rain poured around them. He cupped her face gently as her eyes rose to meet his, as his thumb ran over her cheekbone. He smiled. "You're so beautiful," he muttered._

"Well?" he asked, just as the vision faded.

She shook her head with a smile, meeting her dream Jasper's eyes. "No," she said simply, her smile growing. "Not unless something changes." She touched her forehead, muttering the words again, "Not unless something changes."

* * *

Her purse wasn't very big but it seemed impossible to find what he was looking for. Jasper plunged his hand in, searching for the cell phone, wondering why women even carried purses if their belongings were just going to retreat to the farthest, least accessible recesses.

Jasper gave up his search, upending the purse on the bed, watching as her belongings scattered. A few things fell onto the floor and he cursed lightly as he hastily gathered them up, stuffing everything but the cell phone back into her purse. He was in the guest room that Charlotte had given him when he arrived but he had done little more in the room than toss their bags on the bed and shower in the connected bathroom.

The bag jangled lightly as his hand stuffed her sunglasses inside. He sat the phone on the bed and ran his hand over the liner, feeling for a zipper that would give way to a little pocket. He found one, sliding it open with steady fingers. His fingertips brushed along the familiar shape of her locket.

He drew his hand back as if stung.

His fingers found the pocket again slowly and he fished her jewelry free. He stared at the pieces with sad eyes, his heart lurching uncomfortably before he stomped down his emotions. It didn't have to be surprising. It didn't have to mean anything horrible. It could just mean that she found her wedding and engagement rings and her locket too precious to risk losing.

Or maybe it meant that she knew she wouldn't be coming back. Maybe she was leaving her prized possessions to him.

He swallowed, his hand still trembling as he dangled her locket from his fingers, as he stacked her engagement and wedding ring together and slid them to the first knuckle of his pinky. His smile was shaky as he remembered trying to get the size right, as he remembered telling the jeweller that yes, his future wife was very small. He remembered sliding the engagement ring on her finger for the first time, how she'd compared the canary diamonds to his eyes.

His smile faded as his pleasant memory was invaded, replaced by a new one. _"I know that man there. The golden-eyed man." _Both of their greatest fears were laid out in those simple words. Her memories were stripped. His heart was torn from his chest.

Jasper sighed, swallowing down his pain. He pulled her rings free and unclasped her locket. He slid the rings on the chain and clasped it again. He stared at the jewelry for a moment, resolving to keep it together, to not see her in every corner, in every one of her possessions. He knew he needed to keep his thoughts clear, to keep his emotions level if he was ever going to have a chance of getting her back, of being with her again.

He clutched her jewelry, suddenly feeling a shift, suddenly feeling as if his sadness, his despair had moved to the side, had made room again for white hot rage. Suddenly his teeth were grinding together and his whole body seemed to be vibrating with a need to move, to act. He wanted to run, to fight, to not be sensible for a moment longer.

Every cell in his body was screaming for him to run to Italy and raise _hell_. His heart told him to kill everything that moved in Volterra until only she was left, until they were standing on the rubble of that awful place, until smoke from fires kindled by the pieces of the Volturi filled the air. He ached for it, felt choked by the ferocity of the desire.

Jasper glanced at her rings and his anger lessened marginally. Alice would lay her hand on his chest, would coax him back into a reasonable emotional climate, would remind him that he needed to be clearheaded.

Of course, if Alice were there, he could hold her close, could bury his face in her hair and breathe in her scent. If Alice were there, she'd be wearing her rings and her locket and he wouldn't be living inside his worst nightmare.

Besides feeling like whole pieces of him were missing, like there were gaping wounds covering his body, he felt bereft of a sense. He barely remembered how to move, how to _live_ without Alice's visions to guide him.

Something about knowing that Aro was taking visions that she had always shared willingly with Jasper was...violating.

Aro knew what to do, knew what the future held and Jasper was in the dark. He didn't know if he was doing the right thing. He didn't know what she wanted him to do.

But he did know that giving into his rage would benefit no one.

He sighed again and stomped it all down, allowing numbness to settle over him. He felt somehow tingly as he palmed her jewelry, as he blew out one more shaky breath and dragged his duffle bag over. He unzipped the pocket and slid the locket and rings deep inside, nestling them in next to her book. And then he zipped the pocket up, somehow feeling even clearer as he removed them from his sight.

If he took the time to give it any thought, he'd crumble again. His careful resolve would give way to all the sadness and rage once more. The numbness was a temporary defense but for now, for the duration of this holding pattern he'd placed himself in, it was utterly necessary.

Jasper picked up the phone again and flipped it open. For one, brief second, he contemplated calling Esme, contemplated asking her some meaningless question just to hear her voice, just to imagine that soothing mixture of emotions that she always exuded. But no, that would mean straying from his plan. That would mean letting his numbness fade.

He pressed the 'Send' button and waited for Bella to answer. He listened as the call connected, as static and rustling filled his ears. He could imagine her pocketing the phone and moving out of earshot.

Moments passed before he heard more rustling and then Bella's voice. "Jasper?"

"Yes. You're somewhere private?"

"Yeah. I spoke to Esme." She was rushing, her words tumbling out as if she only had moments, as if she felt that a wasted second was going to further endanger Alice. "Tanya and the others, they're coming."

"Great. Good job, Bella." He recognized that his voice was flat, that allowing the numbness to settle in had left him nearly monotone.

She was silent for a breath, perhaps considering the changes in his voice from the last time she spoke to him. "When are you coming home?"

He sighed. "Soon. When will they be there?"

Jasper shuffled forward as they spoke, rezipping her purse and settling it on his bag. His socked feet slid along the carpet.

There, unseen on the floor was a single slip of paper. The sheet of hotel stationary looked like the dozen other scraps of paper that had fallen from her purse.

But this piece of paper was changing everything. Decisions were changing. Futures were changing. And the farther his toe nudged the paper under the bed, the more definite that new future became.

* * *

Alice stiffened. Her imaginary Jasper rushed from the darkness, hovering over her in the warm glow of the light. She could feel him there, familiarly touching her back, trying to soothe her. She was lost in her vision.

_Jasper yelled as his arms were ripped free, as the cloaked figures tore him apart. And then his yell was silenced as they grasped his head and gave it a sharp, wrenching tug._

Alice gasped as she fought her way out of the vision. She felt like she was going to fly apart, like her skin was entirely inadequate to hold her together. She felt trapped, stuck in her mind with useless visions. Her wild eyes met her imaginary Jasper's.

"What?" He gripped her shoulders. "What is it?"

Her throat felt raw as she worked to make sounds, to make words. Whatever part of her held all the memories, all the emotions of their shared past was letting her feel the right amount of despair. She choked on the words as she forced them out, as she explained her grief to this apparition.

"Something's changed."

* * *

Note: Believe me when I tell you, the story does get a little lighter as things start to come together. It may get darker too but there will be light chapters.

I plan to answer some of the review questions later tonight after I get a new chapter of RBTL up but for those of you who asked how to pronounce Eion, it's a derivative of the Scottish Gaelic name Eoin which is a derivative of John. Therefore, it is really the Scottish counterpart to Ian and should be pronounced the same way. It can also be pronounced like ee-on, but when I read the chapters allowed, it's pronounced like ee-ahn.

I'm glad you guys are giving him a chance. I love writing original characters if they serve the story and fit into the world but I know that not everyone is a fan of OCs. Anyway, thanks for all the reviews and faves and alerts. I really appreciate it!

- Brynna


	5. Closer to the Truth

Disclaimer: The Twilight universe belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

A/N1: A huge thank you to Guardgirl12 and alybee who had to beta this unbelievably fast. I so appreciate your help.

A/N2: There has been some mild confusion about where Jasper is and where the note is. I went back and clarified it in earlier chapters but...he left the hotel in the second chapter. He's been at Peter and Charlotte's ever since. Sorry for the confusion!

* * *

**Chapter 5 – Closer to the Truth**

The days Jasper spent at Charlotte and Peter's were agonizing.

He was reminded of the last time Alice was in Italy, when he'd waited for her call, staring at her phone with his family gathered around him, with their emotions drowning him, suffocating him. He remembered then how he'd had nothing to focus on except the phone, how the emotions in the room had nearly crushed him.

This time was a bit different. He actually believed that waiting was the right thing to do. He was counting on it, on his own patience. He knew, deep down, that Alice was safe where she was, that even if Aro did something to harm her, he'd never kill her. And that knowledge was just enough to carry him through the stagnant days.

They planned at first, while he waited for Bella to let him know that Eleazar and the others had arrived. He and Peter and Charlotte combed through every detail, every possible course of action, every possible move, and every potential ally. They came up with plan A and B and C and D. Charlotte renamed plan E. She had taken to affectionately calling it Plan "Everyone storms in and kills who they can and then dies." It certainly wasn't their most refined idea, but they had considered it as well, giving it equal weight as the others, examining potential loss and potential victory.

The planning was something he could focus on. It was a puzzle, something he had always been good at. Even as a human, he had been good, not only at fighting battles, but at planning them, at getting above the battle and seeing the moves, the possibilities. Maria had used his skills to great effect, trusting his judgement without question and always benefiting from having done so.

When he was planning, he was fine, maybe even close to normal. The constant ache in his chest was the only reminder that Alice wasn't with him, the only reminder that nothing was right in his life, that truly, nothing was normal. So Peter kept him planning, combing over the details again and again and again, never leaving him alone for longer than an hour, never letting him get too far inside his head.

Deep down, they all knew that the puzzle was incomplete, that not knowing the powers of the new guard members likely rendered all their planning useless. But still, it kept his emotions in check, kept the numbness easily in place.

As they sat around the dining room table for a third night, Jasper was suddenly struck by a huge, crushing sense of relief. He cushioned his chin in his hand, propped his elbow on the table and didn't feel an ounce of fatigue. And, oh God, was he grateful.

He used to imagine what it would be like to sleep with Alice, for them both to let their guard down, to shut off everything for eight or so hours and burrow together under the covers. He imagined that he'd sleep closest to the door; that she'd curl against him, trusting him to protect her when she was so vulnerable. And he imagined that they'd wake together, stretching as they lingered in that place between sleep and consciousness, blinking and smiling as they came fully awake to the sight of their other half.

It was an intriguing idea to someone in an eternal state of wakefulness. He used to yearn for it. But if he had that, then he would be waking without her. And that would be unbearable.

When the phone finally beeped, indicating a text message, he jumped from the chair, not caring how over-eager he looked. He fumbled with the phone, pressing the button to retrieve the message and grinned fully at the two words on the screen. _"They're here."_

Jasper turned to Peter and Charlotte, his smile still wide. "Finally," he said simply.

"Eleazar?" Peter asked, reverting to their little half-sentence communication as they always had when it was time to leap into action.

Jasper nodded, his hand still gripping the phone. "I guess I'll call Carlisle."

Peter motioned to Jasper's abandoned seat, indicating that he should sit again. "Why don't you put him on speaker phone?"

Jasper dialed and laid the phone on the table as it rang, grateful to Peter for understanding that saying it aloud wasn't easy, that hearing his family's fear and anger would be painful.

Carlisle picked up after long, tense moments. "Hello?"

"Carlisle," Jasper breathed, some part of him feeling stronger just hearing his voice. "Something's happened. I – I should tell everyone at once. Can you get everyone together?"

"Is it Alice?" He said it quickly as if he had been expecting bad news, as if he had been braced for it.

Jasper tried to even his voice, tried to keep his tone level but he was discovering with each telling that the hardest part was saying it out loud, was putting his failure into words. He kept his reply simple, only wanting to tell the story once. "Yes."

Carlisle sucked in a sharp breath and Jasper could imagine him pushing at his hair in his typical gesture of nerves. "Tanya and the others are here."

"Them too," Jasper said quickly. "They should all hear this."

* * *

Esme knew something was wrong the second Carlisle called everyone to gather in the living room. His voice sounded tense. His expression was grim.

She settled onto the love seat, saving room for Carlisle. Nessie squeezed in next to her. Her thin hand settled against Esme's face briefly, her brow furrowed gently as she asked what was wrong. "I don't know," Esme whispered. She wrapped her arm around Nessie's shoulders and waited for Carlisle.

When everyone was gathered, he laid the phone on its cradle and pressed the speaker button. "We're all here, Jasper."

Carlisle settled on the free cushion of the love seat, gripping Esme's hand automatically. They listened to Jasper's gentle breathing before he finally spoke. "Jacob? Are you there?"

Jacob looked startled from his place against the wall. "Yeah."

Jasper's voice picked up volume and speed. "I need you to go, just for a few minutes. But stick around. I need you there later."

Jacob pushed a hand through his hair, frowning softly at Bella. "All right," he said tentatively, as if he were going to ask what was going on. Instead, he did as Jasper asked, sprinting out the front door and out into the woods beyond.

"All right, Jasper," Carlisle said, "go ahead."

There was another pause, more of Jasper's breathing. When he did speak, his tone was carefully even, a strange contrast to the horror of his words. "Aro's taken Alice."

Esme heard her own breathing slow, heard the ragged quality as the words slammed into her. She looked around the room, watched as brows furrowed and bodies leaned in closer to the phone.

"What are you saying, Jasper?" Rosalie asked, stepping toward the phone. "What do you mean he's taken her?"

There was a longer pause and Esme tightened her hold on Nessie's slim shoulders, watched as Garrett glanced at Kate with confused eyes, as Eleazar's head dropped into his hand, as Bella turned her face into Edward's shoulder. Jasper's tone wasn't quite so controlled when he spoke up again. "We were hunting and Demetri and Jane and some others appeared. They said they were taking her."

"What others?" Eleazar asked quietly, his voice slightly more gruff than usual.

"I don't know," Jasper said, a new, pleading tone to his voice. "I don't know, Eleazar. But she was confused. She – she didn't know who I was and she went to them willingly."

"Then what happened?" Carlisle asked.

"They led her away, I tried to follow but...I was surrounded. It looked as if they brought nearly the whole guard."

Eleazar's eyes met Carlisle's briefly but they each looked away, perhaps wanting to hold off whatever thoughts were forming.

"What do you mean she didn't know who you were?" Tanya asked.

Jasper's voice was quiet and filled with pain. "She seemed to recognize me but she didn't know my name. It was as if her memories were gone." Esme sucked in another ragged breath. Unbearable. Alice losing her memories again was an unbearable thought.

"What do we do now?" Edward asked, leaning forward. Esme was startled to see that his expression had melted into one of burning rage.

Jasper sighed. "I can't figure out what to do until I know who the new guard members are."

"You want me to go?" Edward asked. "I can be on a flight today."

"I was hoping you and maybe Eleazar would go."

Esme watched as Eleazar glanced at Carmen, as she smiled shakily and lifted her shoulders, indicating it was his choice. "No heroics?" Eleazar asked, "Just checking on Alice and gathering some information?"

"Yes," Jasper said. "I've thought it through and I think that if only you go, Aro will see that we aren't a threat."

"Uncle Jazz," Nessie said, pushing her long curls behind her shoulder. "Where are you?"

His voice gentled. "I'm at Peter and Charlotte's. I'll come home soon."

Nessie nodded as if Jasper could hear and then leaned into Esme, weeping silently against her shoulder. Esme made soothing noises and stroked her hair, the way she had when Nessie was still small.

Carlisle cleared his throat and stood, letting Esme's hand drop as he paced restlessly. "Jasper, are you sure I shouldn't go? I could try talking some sense into Aro."

Esme heard Peter's voice. "We don't know if he is trying to goad us into a fight. He might see a visit from you as some strange offensive play."

"And I'd like you to be at home when we get there," Jasper said. "Please?"

Carlisle stilled his pacing and dropped back to his seat. "Of course."

Jasper's voice took on a tentative quality. "Edward, could you – maybe you could find out if they would let me join. Just in case."

A strangled little sound rose from Esme's throat. "Jasper." Esme was somehow startled by the sound of her own shaky voice. It sounded as if she was just about to fall apart. She cleared her throat. "You come home now."

It wasn't a request or a question. He needed to be at home. She needed to be able to hug him and reassure him and they all needed to figure this out. He didn't need to shoulder the responsibility alone. That's what families were for.

His voice sounded broken when he finally answered as if he was holding it together, just up until the point where he heard her voice. "I will," he whispered.

Peter took control over the call again. "We are going to get on the road this evening. Edward, Eleazar, just talk to Aro. Don't do anything that might spark further action."

"We'll leave for the airport as soon as we pack."

Jasper's voice was more solid when he spoke again. "We'll be in contact." He paused, his shallow breathing echoing in the silent room. "Thank you," he whispered.

Carlisle leaned forward, his elbows braced on his knees. "We're going to fix this, Jasper. Whatever we have to do."

"All right," he said, his voice small.

There was a pause, as if neither side wanted to hang up. Finally Carlisle leaned forward again. "Goodbye Peter, Charlotte. We'll see you soon. Jasper, we'll be waiting for you." He listened as Peter said 'Goodbye' and then he hit the button to end the call.

There was stunned silence around the room as they all took in what they had just heard. Edward was staring intently at Bella, perhaps trying to discern just how much she already knew, just how much of her strange behavior had been caused by knowing in advance, by having to lie. His brow was etched in a deep furrow but Bella shook her head once, a clear sign to just let it be, for now.

Nessie was the first to speak, her voice a tiny whisper, her eyes averted. "Will they hurt Aunt Alice?" She only used 'Aunt' and 'Uncle' now when she wanted something or when she was scared or nervous.

"No, Renesmee," Eleazar said. "No, your Aunt has one of the rarest powers. They won't hurt her."

Rosalie swallowed and settled on the armrest next to Kate. "They took her memory."

Esme met her eyes, knowing that to Alice that would be far worse than physical pain. Rosalie's expression was a mixture of sadness, of anger, of helplessness. Esme knew just how she felt.

Edward stood. "I suppose we should get ready. Could someone check flight times?"

"I will," Tanya said, moving to the computers in the little connected room.

Bella trailed after Edward and Carmen and Eleazar started for their own room on the third floor. Emmett dropped onto the couch next to Garrett. "Can't we just storm Volterra?"

Garrett laughed lightly, the sound sad and a little nervous. Kate slid her hand into his and he smiled at before answering Emmett. "Save those thoughts for after your brother leaves," he whispered.

Emmett glanced around at the anxious gazes; his eyes settled on Esme. "Maybe Jasper has a plan," she said. "Have patience, Emmett."

He crossed his arms and settled deep into the couch, a look of total frustration settling on his face. He was the helpless protector now. What was he supposed to do if he couldn't help his little sister? Or his brother?

Esme ached to go comfort him but Nessie was still pressed tight to her side and Carlisle had reclaimed his firm grip on her hand.

"Are you all right?" Carlisle muttered.

Esme let out a shaky sigh, turning slightly to face him. His own expression was one of deep pain. "No. I can't think about her there," she whispered. She felt stunned. She felt like her world was tipped upside down. She felt uncharacteristically angry, the mama bear with a cub in danger.

Carlisle leaned forward, touched his lips to her forehead gently. "We're going to fix this," he said again. His breath was warm against her forehead until he pulled away, until he looked straight into her eyes, glancing briefly at Nessie to make sure he had her attention too. "We're going to get her back."

* * *

Jasper felt somehow lighter as he stood from the table, as he pocketed Alice's cell phone and started for the guest room Charlotte had given him. He felt like things were finally in motion, like he could finally start imagining that four hundredth step.

He moved Alice's purse to the side and started shoving his few belongings in his bag. His foot bumped something on the floor and he stooped down, picking up her fallen sunglasses. He opened her purse and started to toss them inside. Then he stopped, placing them on the comforter.

He'd given her purse a cursory search on the way to Peter and Charlotte's, looking for something obvious, looking for an envelope with his name on it or something that spelled out exactly what he should do.

Jasper pulled the scraps of paper free, wondering now if he had just missed a clue. Some of the slips held little drawings, some were receipts or lists but none seemed to hold any hints or ideas or instructions. His eyes narrowed in thought as he glanced at the sunglasses. Impulsively, he dropped to his knees, searching the floor for anything else he'd failed to pick up when he'd upended her purse. He peered under the bed.

His still heart lurched as he spied the folded up piece of paper. He reached for it, every cell in his body aching with hope. His fingers trembled as he settled on the bed, as he opened it carefully. It was on hotel stationary. That was at least promising.

She'd written three lines.

_Bring Maggie._

_Listen to Garrett._

_I love you._

His face was a mask of confusion as he considered the first two lines. Bring Maggie? What did Maggie have to do with anything? And what did Garrett have to say? His eyes trailed down the paper. On the bottom corner, she'd drawn a tiny little rose. Normally he'd chalk it up to one of her thoughtless little doodles, the kind she often produced during a vision.

He looked closer. He knew that rose, had seen her draw it before. He'd seen it a thousand times in Rosalie's favorite movie. Edward had joked to Emmett once that she loved _Beauty and the Beast _so much because it so perfectly described her and Emmett. But why had Alice drawn it here?

Jasper understood that when she drew, she tended to zone out, to let her hand do the work and her mind shut down. Whatever she was trying to say would be safe from Aro, would likely have only existed in her mind as an abstract half-thought. She would have focused on the lines and the image and not on what it meant. But he knew it had to mean something, even if Alice herself didn't consciously know.

He thought back to those disparate visions she'd had on their vacation. He remembered she'd imagined him in distress and black cloaks and new faces and...Rosalie on a plane.

Jasper dropped the note onto the bed, wrenching her phone free from his pocket. He dialed without thinking, calling up Rosalie's number from memory.

"Hello?" She answered on the first ring, her voice confused.

"Rose. I – I found something. I need you to go to Italy with the others."

There was a pause. "What did you find?"

"I can't – I don't even know exactly but Alice had been having visions of you on a plane. I think you're supposed to go, too."

He heard her sharp breathing before she let out a harsh sigh. "You know I'll do anything for her."

"I know." He glanced again at the note, his brow furrowing as he read over the lines again. "Has Garrett said anything?"

"What do you mean?"

He shook his head. "Never mind. Just be smart, Rose. I'm only guessing at what we're supposed to be doing."

"All right." Her voice was determined but he could hear the markers of her anger, the sharpness with which she said the words.

"I'm not sure what you'll find that Edward wouldn't but maybe there's something..."

"Or maybe she was seeing me on a different plane."

"Maybe," he agreed, "but this is the only plane travelling right now."

She paused again. "You're right. And I'll be on it. I'll call as soon as we know anything."

"Thanks, Rose."

* * *

The future was shifting again.

Thousands of miles away from where Jasper was hanging up the phone and slipping the little note into his pocket, Alice was smiling.

And Aro was frowning.

* * *

Note: Thanks so so much to everyone who has reviewed and PMed and and faved. I am hopelessly behind on review replies and it just doesn't look like my schedule will be letting up enough to get caught up anytime soon. So please just know that I appreciate every one of them. You guys are the best.

And to everyone that asked plot-related questions. The answers are forthcoming. I promise...all will be answered.

Please review!

- Brynna


	6. All the King's Horses

Disclaimer: The Twilight universe belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

A/N: Thanks to Guardgirl12 and alybee for the endless patience and awesome beta work.

* * *

**Chapter 6 – All the King's Horses**

The plane ride was unbelievably boring. Eleazar and Edward shared a row while Rosalie sat in front of them. The plane was nearly empty so Rosalie stretched out, pulling down the shade and pretending to sleep. Eleazar and Edward were silent, perhaps as anxious as she was to see Alice and figure out what to do next.

Emmett hadn't been thrilled when she told him she was going. In fact, he had tried to put his foot down, had insisted on joining them. Carlisle had intervened, telling him he was needed at home, that it was important that he be there for Jasper. She was grateful. Her own temper was explosive enough to cause concern but Emmett was even more reactionary than her. No, it was better that he stay at home.

She had formed a goal. She had no clue why Alice might want her to come, but she was going to do her best to get Alice alone, to somehow talk to her, to make sure she was all right, to bring home some shred of reassurance for Jasper.

Rosalie and Alice didn't always see eye to eye on everything. They'd had their differences, their minor squabbles, but they were true sisters. It hadn't taken Rosalie long to warm up to Alice. She was so unaffected, so open and trusting, so forgiving of all of Rosalie's barbs and shots. Alice wanted a friend and Rosalie had desperately needed one.

So Rose would do anything for Alice.

Rosalie closed her eyes tight, drumming her fingers against the cushion of her seat. Her fingers stilled when a thought came, unbidden. This was all her fault, all Edward's fault. This was more of Alice and Jasper suffering for the whole ordeal with Bella and that stupid cliff.

She caught her breath as the realization sank in, as she wished for the millionth time that she hadn't told Edward that Bella was dead, that Edward hadn't gone to Italy, that Alice hadn't let Aro touch her. But there was no going back. It had all happened. And now they might lose Alice.

Edward sucked in a breath. "Enough, Rose," he said softly.

"I can't help it," she muttered. She pulled herself up in her seat, peering over at him. "Don't you regret any of that."

He laughed, a little sardonically. "All the time."

Eleazar was carefully staring at his hands, not wanting to intrude on their conversation. She wanted to ask Edward what he regretted, had some strange urge to hear him say the words. But that had never been their relationship. They tolerated each other, depended on each other when they had to, and avoided each other whenever possible.

He sighed and met her eyes, answering her thoughts reluctantly. "I regret that I couldn't convince myself or Aro that I would change Bella. I regret that Alice had to do that for me." He shook his head, again averting his gaze. "She did it willingly but I felt like I was giving up all her secrets, like I was making her share things that she would never share willingly."

Rosalie leaned her chin on the back of her seat. "I regret telling you about Bella and the cliff."

Edward looked up with a smile. "I know."

She offered a small smile in return, suddenly uncomfortable with their uncharacteristic honesty. She slid back down the seat, returning to her reclining position, again pretending like she was asleep.

Long moments passed before she heard rustling behind her. She opened her eyes and saw Edward standing by her row. She drew her legs up and he settled in, staring at the back of the seat in front of him. "Do you really think the Volturi just want Alice?"

Rosalie stared at his profile. "I don't know."

Eleazar spoke up from behind them, his voice sounding somehow detached with the row of seats between them. "You should put those thoughts to rest."

Rosalie knew what he was saying. Focus on the things they did know, don't try to work ahead. Whatever thoughts they had would be Aro's soon and they shouldn't give him anything extra. Of course, when told not to think about something, it was all a person _could_ think of.

She was grateful when Edward changed the subject. "You brought Alice some clothes?"

"And shoes. She'd kill me if I let her get rescued in a cloak," she said with a grin.

Edward smiled and met her eyes, but the smile faded quickly. "Do you remember dreaming?"

She shook her head. "No."

"Neither do I." He sighed. "This must be what nightmares were like. I keep feeling like I'm going to jolt awake and see her standing there, safe and dancing and laughing."

Rosalie looked away, again uncomfortable with the sudden honesty. "I know what you mean," she muttered.

Edward leaned his head back, closing his eyes. "What must it be like for Jasper?"

* * *

Jasper pulled his car onto the long drive, weaving through trees, keeping an eye on Charlotte's car behind him. Peter was in the passenger seat, trying to muster up small talk to keep Jasper talking. Neither were good with idle chatter but Jasper appreciated the effort. He suspected that Peter would be grateful to have the others around to shoulder responsibility for Jasper's sanity.

He pulled his car around front, parking behind Tanya's sleek little BMW. Esme practically flew from the house, meeting them at the car. Jasper stepped out and straight into her arms. She hugged him fiercely. "It's going to be all right," she muttered again and again.

Jasper patted her back uncomfortably, his emotions warring as he fought to retain the numbness he'd grown to depend on. Could he afford to let it fall away? He felt Esme's familiar emotions blanketing him, felt her sorrow and love and sweet hope. He felt her relief and anger and warmth.

He threw caution to the wind, letting his careful numbness melt away in favor of experiencing a bit of her comfort. She pulled away, breaking the hug but she kept her arm wrapped around Jasper's shoulders. He made no move to pull away, instead, he leaned on her, just a little, borrowing her hope and love and relief and warmth. He felt his own anger and sadness and pain seep back in but as they started for the house, he finally felt like he could do something about it, like those feelings were familiar friends, there to spur him on.

Esme greeted Peter and Charlotte warmly, thanking them for caring for Jasper, inviting them to stay as long as they wanted. Carlisle met them on the porch, shaking hands with Peter and offering Charlotte a half-hug.

Jasper was stunned by the depth of Carlisle's rage, by the shaky thread with which he was clinging to his self-control. Outwardly he was still cool, still calm, but Jasper felt nearly thrown off balance by the force of his anger.

He gripped Jasper's shoulder tightly, his golden eyes meeting Jasper's. He said nothing at first, only searching Jasper's face, perhaps checking his mental state, seeing if he had it together enough to start moving at a sprint.

He must have found what he was looking for because he simply nodded, his jaw clenching. "We're going to do whatever it takes." He held Jasper's gaze a moment longer, saying everything with just the fierceness in his eyes, with just the rhythmic clenching and unclenching of his jaw.

They met Bella and Nessie just inside the front door. Nessie launched herself at Jasper in a way that she hadn't done in years. It felt like it had been ages since he had been home. Some part of him expected to return to a gawky teenager. Instead, he was holding a young woman, nearly fully grown.

"When are you going to stop growing, kid?" he whispered against her hair.

She laughed against his chest and then hugged him tighter. "Please tell me you're not really going to join them."

He swallowed, glancing at Esme. She was working to control her expression, to control her emotions. "I don't know, Nessie. I can't leave her there alone."

Esme laid her hand on Nessie's back. "Let Jasper breathe, darling."

Nessie backed away obediently, her eyes still trained on Jasper. "Can't we just kill the Volturi?"

"I don't know." He worked for a little half-smile. "Now that I'm home we can figure that out."

She didn't look convinced but still, she led the way to the dining room. Jasper squeezed Bella's shoulder as he passed. "Thanks," he said simply.

"I didn't do that well," she said.

"You got Eleazar here. You did your job."

Jasper watched as Nessie moved to settle in one of the dining room chairs. Garrett and Jacob and Emmett were all gathered, all arguing loudly. Tanya and Kate were sitting in plush chairs, lost in their own conversation. Carmen was leaning against the wall, her worry spelled out on her face.

"They've been waiting on you," Esme said. Jasper moved into the room, instinctively feeling Peter and Charlotte at his back. Conversation stopped as Jasper settled in an empty chair.

Emmett met his eyes and nodded simply, determination written across his features, evident in his every movement. No one said they were sorry about Alice or offered him sympathy; they all knew him well enough to know he wouldn't want those words. Instead Tanya stood and settled in at the long dining room table. Kate and Carmen and Esme and Carlisle and Bella followed suit. "Tell us everything," she said.

* * *

Eion held tight to Alice's hand as he scanned the shelves. His fingers trailed along book spines, searching for something that he could read aloud to her. He dismissed anything depressing automatically, searching instead for something she might enjoy.

He passed up Shakespeare and Tolstoy, Bronte and Dickins. He pushed aside a heavy Dostoevsky tome and was met with Alcott. He pulled the book free, glancing at Alice. She was trailing her own fingers along the spines, humming quietly, seeing nothing.

She had been distressed, upset, maybe even panicked up until that morning. She had stiffened, a marker that he already knew indicated an oncoming vision. He was braced for further distress, but instead her lips curved softly and she was suddenly calm. Tension seemed to flee her body and she walked lighter, easier.

He was confused by her. She seemed to be retaining some measure of awareness, some traces of her own mind and personality. Usually his power left people in a near catatonic state, blindly following orders while their memories and knowledge were trapped somewhere beyond the reach of the psyche. The mind was broken into three separate parts as if his power erected little walls in the brain. All parts were still there, the brain was still intact, still accessible to someone like Aro, but the longer the walls were up, the more damaging it became.

Alice seemed to be breaking down the walls, wearing them thin in a way that no one else had. The three parts of her mind were seeping through the barriers. Memories were invading her darkness. Her psyche was invading her subconscious. Eion didn't know what it meant but it was making Aro crazy and for that, he was grateful.

Aro had come to them that morning, touching her hand to see her visions. He'd scowled deeply and muttered about visitors before fleeing the room. He and Caius and Marcus had been locked up all day, meeting about whatever Aro had seen. Eion was happy to be left alone. Even Chelsea and their other chaperones had drifted off, had left them to their own devices.

He flipped the book in his hands. A gold seal was stamped onto the cloth cover. "Little Women – Part 1," it read. It was an early edition, perfectly preserved, just like the thousands of other books in the massive library. The collection must be worth millions.

He glanced at the book again, shifting to grip Alice's hand more firmly. He was pretty sure females her age liked Alcott. He had never read the book himself but he could remember his mate reading it once.

Eion tugged on her hand, pulling her over to one of the lavishly plush couches. He got her settled, dropping in next to her. He placed the book on his lap, opened the cover. He bypassed the chapter listing and preface. "Chapter one," he read, "Playing Pilgrims."

Alice leaned close, peering at the pages, her eyes focussing on the words, her lips curving again. He read on, feeling her settle against his side. She sighed happily and he wondered what she could hear, what parts of her were listening, were responding.

* * *

Alice sat cross-legged in the dirt. She could hear a voice. It had started out quiet, light, but it was getting louder every second. The voice was heavily accented but somehow familiar. And the words were even more familiar. She listened carefully, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Little Women?" she muttered.

Her imaginary Jasper leaned against a tree, his face turned up, a mirror of hers as he listened to the sound. "Books, you remember," he said with a smile.

"I read a lot, when I was travelling...alone." The words hit her before the memory did. She scrambled to her feet. "Before I met you, I was alone." Her fingers trailed across her forehead. She twisted around, scanning the darkness behind her. "I had trouble with my memories then too," she said with a frown.

Jasper shook his head. "That was different." He stepped closer. "Don't try to figure it out," he warned. "Stay here with me."

Alice's face melted into a mask of confusion. "Why?"

He shook his head again. "You know why."

She tilted her head. "My thoughts aren't just mine." She knew that to be true. She knew, suddenly, that having the wrong thought, that figuring out too much could again change the future.

Jasper said nothing, instead stepping close and turning his face up again. The voice read on. "'_As young readers like to know how people look, we will take this moment to give them a little sketch of the four sisters, who sat knitting away in the twilight...'_"

Alice smiled at the words, her mind retrieving them a fraction of a second before the man read them aloud. "I used to love this book," she whispered. "I remember that now. When I was alone, I'd imagine what it was like to have sisters, to have that sort of family."

"And then you got a sister," he muttered.

She twirled to face him, but her memories were already changing, already catching up. "Yes. Yes, Rosalie." She touched her forehead again, "From my vision."

He grinned. "The memories are coming easier now."

Alice shook her head once. "Still disparate," she said.

"More than you thought you'd have," he said cryptically.

She didn't try to understand. She recalled the vision of her sister, searched for more memories of her. A few came, a few with other familiar looking people, a gentle looking woman with a kind smile and dimples, a dignified looking blonde man, a huge, smiling young man, a thin copper-haired boy with mischievous eyes and a slow smile.

"I have more family?" she asked.

"You have a big family," he said with a little laugh. "And I don't think _this_ family will leave you in the dark for long."

* * *

Jasper told the story, omitting the detail about the note, wanting to see if Garrett would say anything unprodded, wanting to see if Maggie's name would come up on its own.

He leaned back in his chair and spread his hands slightly when he was done, "That's it. At least until we hear from Edward and the others."

"We've been making plans," Peter said from Jasper's right. "We've come up with a few ideas but without some hint of what's really going on with Aro and the guard, it's hard to know if we are on the right track."

"Start by omitting the plans where Jasper goes alone," Esme said firmly.

Jasper turned to her, his expression gentle. "It might be the best way. I won't force anyone to endanger themselves."

Carlisle shook his head. "We love Alice too, Jasper. We're going to help you."

"The Volturi have really stepped out of bounds," Tanya said, her fingers drumming on the smooth table. "How can we trust them to lead sensibly if they're committing crimes of their own?"

"Why did Jane let you live?" Emmett asked suddenly. All eyes turned to him. "I mean, he's seen Alice's thoughts. He must have known you wouldn't just let her go."

Carlisle shook his head. "That's not the way Aro works. His twisted sense of morality would allow him to take Alice but not to kill Jasper. I'm sure he thinks that taking Alice into the guard is an honor for her."

"It seemed like the guard was waiting for me to strike first," Jasper said.

"Then whatever war followed would be on your hands," Kate muttered.

Peter leaned forward, his elbows planted on the table. "I wonder if Aro thinks you aren't a threat. He has Alice now for advanced warning and I would imagine he sees Carlisle as the real threat. He inspires loyalty. There's no greater threat to the Volturi than Carlisle and his allies."

Carlisle's eyes were hard when he spoke again. "Be that as it may, Alice and Jasper are part of my family. Aro cannot just take us apart at will."

Jasper blinked at the force with which he said the words. His voice was laced with betrayal. Aro had been a friend to Carlisle once. A friend who had been stepping ever closer, ever closer with a knife in his hand.

"I don't think Aro understands family," Kate said softly.

"Well," Carlisle said clearly, "he can't have mine."

* * *

Note: Thanks for the reviews and faves and PMs and alerts. I appreciate all of it immensely. Reviews have kind of tapered off a bit but to those that have taken the time, know that your feedback is invaluable.

Some of you have mentioned my characterization of Rosalie. She will be an important character for much of this story so if you are curious to read more of my take on her character, I posted a character study one-shot for her on my journal. It's called 9 Crimes and is currently the top post. Once I bump it, I'll add the link to the sidebar. My journal link is in my profile.

Anyway, new chapter on Monday. Please review!

- Brynna


	7. Weigh the Enemy More Mighty

Disclaimer: The Twilight universe belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

A/N: I can't say enough good things about my betas. Thank you, Guardgirl12 and alybee, for your patience and for doing such a fantastic job in finding all of my mistakes.

* * *

**Chapter 7 - Weigh the Enemy More Mighty**

"When will they be here?" Caius asked for the hundredth time.

"I've told you, brother. They'll arrive tonight. Stop worrying. It's just the three of them."

"A first wave," Caius muttered.

Aro rolled his eyes. "Yes, I'm sure these are the three they'd send in a first wave."

"You're too cavalier about this."

"No. I am just realistic. What could they possibly do to _us_?"

Caius growled lightly. "You said yourself that her visions changed."

"It's true. She saw her mate destroyed." Aro glanced at Caius, his gaze flitting away before Caius could see the concern there. "By the guard."

"And then she saw herself reunited with her mate. Something has changed." Caius spat the words, his teeth clenched in his frustration.

"I'm growing weary of this discussion," Aro hissed.

Caius spread his hands, his scowl deep, his face set in a frightening expression. "We'll see how you feel when war comes to our doors."

"We'd know in advance!"

"You think her mate doesn't know her blind spots? You think they won't use the wolves?"

Aro shook his head, again looking away before Caius could see that those thoughts had crossed his mind. "I'll send out Demetri. We'll have his eyes there and hers here. As soon as he and the others get back, we can send him to keep watch."

Marcus leaned forward in his chair, looking listless. "Why do you think Eion's power is not working on Alice?"

Aro shrugged. "Her mind is very different. It was damaged enough to erase her memories when she was changed. Perhaps it was healed to prevent that from happening again."

"Guesswork," Caius growled. "If her memories are returning, Eion isn't working and if Eion isn't working, there is no point in keeping him here, too."

Marcus smiled slightly. "We are going to end up with more unwilling members of the guard than those that are willing."

Aro shook his head. "Eion stays. We may still need him before this is done. And Alice is smart. She would figure out a way to lead her coven against us. Of that, I am sure."

"When will the others return?" Marcus asked.

"Soon," Aro said. He turned to Caius. "And then perhaps you will feel better, brother."

"It is still a risk," Caius hissed. His voice dropped to a low rumble when he spoke again. "But if you are intent upon causing a war, at least we will have a weapon to circumvent the Shield."

"Yes," Aro soothed. "Yes, you are right. The guard will be stronger than ever. And whatever war follows will be a foregone conclusion."

Aro watched as Caius leaned his elbow on his chair, as his brow furrowed in thought. He met Aro's gaze and for the first time in weeks, for the first time since Aro began planning to acquire Alice, Caius's lips curved into a genuine smile.

* * *

Volterra was dark when they arrived. Their rented car made good time but Rosalie was nearly vibrating with anxiety. She wanted to see Alice, wanted to see that she was whole and safe, wanted to give some news to Jasper.

Eleazar wove the car through the narrow streets as Rosalie peered out the window, watching the ancient buildings and monuments stream by. Eleazar slowed the car on a darkened street and pulled over to the curb.

"Rosalie," Edward whispered, "when we get in there, let Eleazar do the talking."

"All right," she said, her voice distracted as she stared out the window. She pulled her long hair into a ponytail with mindless motions as figures emerged from the darkness. Their cloaks billowed in the light breeze, the fabric licking against the near total darkness of the alley. Rosalie gave her hair a testing tug and then wrapped her fingers over the lip of the door, leaning forward to watch as they approached, stopping several feet from the car.

"Rose," Edward said again, his voice louder and more insistent.

"All right!" she hissed.

Eleazar ignored them. He was gripping the steering wheel, breathing deeply with his eyes closed, taking a moment before he strolled back into his past. His eyes came open slowly and he plastered on a carefully neutral expression. "Ready?"

He waited for their nods, meeting their gazes in turn, reminding them with only his stern expression that there was much at stake. They needed to be smart and rational and keep their tempers in check. He nodded and opened the door, unfolding himself from the car.

Rosalie scrambled to follow, shouldering Alice's bag and stepping into the damp night. Eleazar was greeting the cloaked figures warmly, shaking hands and smiling to keep up the charade. They greeted Edward and Rosalie with polite nods. Their expressions were grim under their hoods, and Rosalie gritted her teeth as she nodded in reply. Everyone seemed to be remember the last time they met, seemed to be sizing each other up and remembering that they were on opposing sides. Whatever tenuous alliance they'd all once shared was long gone.

Rosalie thought they had sent an odd mix. She had expected Jane or Demetri or Felix or any of the other true enforcers. Instead they were greeted by little Alec and Heidi and Chelsea.

She said nothing of her confusion. She simply clutched Alice's bag and stayed close to Edward's side. Whether they were annoyed with each other or happy or mad, she felt better with her brother by her side, with his arm pressed into hers as he inched closer automatically.

They followed Alec as he disappeared again into the darkness of the alley. They moved quickly, running through the alleys at top speed and dropping into the sewer without pause. Rosalie stared straight ahead, her eyes trained on Alec. She was aware of Edward at her side, of Eleazar and the others behind her, but she kept her focus steady.

Eleazar and Chelsea chatted as they started for the elevator. They seemed to be forcing small talk, the tension thick between them as they both tried to figure out what dredges of their friendship could possibly remain.

Rosalie finally let her eyes wander as they strolled through the lobby. She glanced at the woman behind the desk, taking in the human's ease, wondering idly how they always seemed to find humans willing to be complicit in what amounted to mass murder.

Alec sped up as they continued down another hallway, through an antechamber and into the cavernous room beyond. Aro and Caius and Marcus were already assembled. The wives were lounging behind their chairs, looking bored.

Edward's hand brushed the edge of Rosalie's shirt as he stepped closer to her. She stopped and glanced at him, watched as his jaw clenched and his eyes flashed with anger and fear. He was staring at Aro, watching as the old vampire stood with a sunny smile.

Eleazar stepped around Rose and Edward. "Come on," he said under his breath. They followed obediently, Edward glued to Rosalie's side as if he would jump in front of her at the first sign of danger. Rosalie gritted her teeth again, too caught up in her own anger and apprehension to appreciate the gesture.

They stopped several feet from the Volturi. Alec and Chelsea rushed to Aro's side, hovering close as if any of them were stupid enough to lunge when they were so outnumbered, when they were entirely without advantages.

Aro clapped his pasty hands together once in his apparent excitement. "Old friends!" he exclaimed. "Welcome, welcome."

Eleazar nodded as they stopped in front of the chairs. "Thank you, Aro."

Aro settled back into his chair. "I suppose I don't need to ask why you are here."

Eleazar glanced at Edward briefly. "Alice's mate is concerned about her."

Aro waved his hand dismissively. "I assure you that she is fine. She has already proven to be a great asset to the guard."

"Forgive us for needing more than your assurance," Eleazar said calmly. "We would like to see her."

Aro smiled again, ignoring the request. "Eleazar, I'll admit that I never expected to see you in these halls again."

"I was visiting the Cullens. Jasper asked me to come."

Caius twitched in his seat and Rosalie shifted her gaze, watching as the man gripped the edge of his chair with frail looking fingers. His face was carefully passive, but his jaw was clenched in anger or annoyance.

"You happened to be visiting the Cullens?" Aro said carefully, each word enunciated as if he were speaking to a child.

"Yes," Eleazar said. He held up his hand. "Would you like to see?"

Aro ignored Eleazar's hand and met Edward's gaze. "I would rather Edward show me."

Edward crossed the distance without hesitation. Aro blinked and then laughed lightly, clearly thrown off by his willingness. He took Edward's hand and Rosalie couldn't help a little shudder as she watched the chalky fingers wrap around her brother's comparatively vital hand.

Aro nodded as he released Edward's hand. "Interesting," he said, a little line marring his smooth forehead as he mulled over Edward's thoughts. Edward backed away, his eyes never wavering from Aro's face.

Eleazar spread his hands. "You see now that we are just here to check on Alice."

Caius leaned forward. "Eleazar, we are not fools," he growled. "You are here to gather information."

Eleazar nodded. "Of course. Jasper needs to know that Alice is all right. We need to know why you would take her."

Aro sighed. "She came to us willingly."

Edward looked at Eleazar, his eyes pushing him to ask again. Eleazar's voice was still completely calm, completely without any of the emotions that he must be feeling. "Just let us see her and we'll leave in peace."

With a conciliatory sigh, Aro motioned to Heidi. "Fine."

Heidi opened the heavy door and stepped through, pulling the door behind her. Rosalie turned to face it, anxious to see Alice, to catch the first glimpse of her little sister. Edward tugged on her arm, clearly trying to get her to turn back, to face Aro and Caius and Marcus again. She shook off his grip and he hissed her name quietly.

Aro laughed again. "So much worry. Alice is fine. Eleazar, you know it is an honor to join the guard. Alice is happy. She is well cared for."

Eleazar shook his head. "But she didn't want to join you, Aro. I understand what an asset her power is. I – "

He was interrupted by the creak of the heavy door, by all eyes shifting to the back of the hall. Heidi gripped the door, holding it open for a tall man to lead Alice in. Rosalie held her breath as she caught sight of Alice. Her face was smooth, her lips curled lightly as if she was truly happy. Her eyes were vacant and deep red. She had prepared herself for the possibility that they would have forced Alice to drink from humans but something about seeing her red eyes enraged her and saddened her in one dizzying punch. Rosalie swallowed painfully, searching Alice's eyes for some familiar spark, for something that would indicate that Alice was still in there, that she was truly all right.

She looked even smaller than usual. The tall man towered over her and for some reason, she was dressed in clothes that hung off her thin form. The clothes were restricting her movement slightly, stealing some of her usual grace. The cuffs of her borrowed jeans were rolled up and cinched with a belt. Rosalie took a step forward, involuntarily, as Alice's vacant eyes settled on her. Edward hissed lightly and Rose stepped back, feeling helpless.

Rosalie glanced at her brother and Eleazar but Eleazar's gaze seemed to be trained on the man holding Alice's wrist and Edward seemed to be listening very hard to Eleazar's thoughts.

She glanced at the tall man, watched as he led Alice carefully through the room. He had a rugged appeal about him. He was beautiful in the way that all vampires are beautiful but he had a dangerous glint in his eye. His dark shaggy hair was dishevelled and hanging in his eyes. His strong jaw was clenched. "Eleazar," he mumbled in greeting as he led Alice past the group.

Rosalie's eyes narrowed as she watched him touch Alice gently, guiding her with extreme care. Eleazar's eyes had gone wide with recognition, with surprise. "Eion," he whispered involuntarily.

Aro clapped his hands together again. "Yes, yes! Eion has rejoined us." Eion's jaw twitched convulsively. "You could always come back to us as well, Eleazar."

Eleazar shook his head, glancing at Edward somewhat desperately. Aro spoke again. "And you Edward. You would be a great asset to the guard. Or you Rosalie. We would welcome another hunter."

Rosalie raised one eyebrow, unable to keep quiet now. "No thanks," she said, smiling as she remembered those words from Alice's story of the last time she was in Italy. "And please, don't see that as an invitation to take me from my husband."

Aro's smile melted into a scowl and he twirled as a sweet trilling sound rose up from behind him. Alice was laughing. The sound was just a gentle chuckle but for a moment, for one fraction of a breath, Rosalie saw recognition flit across Alice's gaze.

Emboldened, Rosalie stepped forward, "I want to talk to my sister."

Aro touched Alice's hand lightly, whatever pleasant expression he'd worn replaced now by anger and confusion. He worked to smooth his face as he turned to Rosalie. "Why?"

Rosalie spread her hands. "She's my sister. I want to make sure she's really all right." She held up her bag. "I have clothes that will actually fit her."

Aro's eyes narrowed and he held out his hand. Rosalie glanced at Edward and he nodded, offering the only reassurance she needed. She stepped forward and took Aro's hand, meeting his gaze boldly, letting him see that she was no threat, that she really just wanted some true peace of mind.

He let go of her hand and nodded. "Fine. But Eion goes too. Edward and Eleazar will wait for you in the lobby."

* * *

Eion eyed Rosalie with weary eyes. He watched as she stepped into the sitting room, as Chelsea shut the door tight behind her. Rosalie turned to look at the door, making sure they were really alone before she stepped forward with narrowed eyes. She touched Alice's face lightly, drawing it up to see her clearly. She smiled as their gazes met. "Alice?" she said quietly.

"She won't speak while I'm touching her."

Rosalie's smile faded into a glare. "Then let her go."

Eion bit his lip lightly. "I can't. Aro – "

"Aro's not in here," Rosalie snapped. "I want to talk to my sister."

Eion thought about Alice's words the last time he let her go. He thought of her instructions to not let her go unless 'they' came. He hesitated for a moment, his hand loosening just a bit as he considered the possibilities and consequences. "I'll let you speak to her but I need you to tell Eleazar something for me."

Rosalie raised one perfect eyebrow. "Go ahead."

Eion sighed and shoved his fingers through his hair. "Tell him...tell him they found out. Tell him that Aro somehow found out everything."

Rosalie's mouth twitched as if she was going to ask a question. Instead she nodded. "Fine. Now let me talk to her."

He let Alice go and took a full step away, watching with worried eyes as Alice blinked, as she squeezed her eyes shut. "What's wrong with her?" Rosalie muttered.

"The longer I use my power on someone, the longer it takes for them to come back."

Alice blinked again, her eyes slow to open as her brain tried to piece itself together. When they did open, they were focused, a characteristic spark present as her lips curved slowly. She glanced at Eion and then at Rosalie. "You came."

Rosalie pulled her in for a hug, seemingly unable to stop herself. "Of course I came. Jasper said you might need me here."

Alice nodded and pulled herself away. She gripped Rosalie's shoulders, studying her face as if she was committing every millimeter to memory. "We don't have long," Alice said. "How is he?"

Rosalie shrugged. "We left before he came home but...he didn't sound good when I spoke to him."

"Tell him – " Alice touched her forehead, "tell him to stay strong. Tell him to trust his own mind."

Rosalie nodded. "I will. I – I brought you some clothes."

Alice looked down at her outfit and laughed lightly. "This is the best you could do, Eion?"

"I tried."

Alice shook her head and turned her attention to Rosalie again. "Eion's not bad, Rose. Help him, too." She shook her head, perhaps wanting to stave off whatever thoughts were forming. She leaned forward, hugging her sister again. "Keep your eyes open," she whispered softly. "Wide open."

Rosalie's brow furrowed deeply. "All right."

"Aro will be mad but it's too late for him to stop it." Rosalie held her tighter, clearly used to the cryptic statements and little glimpses at possible futures.

"All right."

Alice pulled away and held her hand out to Eion. "See you soon, Rose," she said with a sweet smile.

Eion took her hand and her eyes again unfocused. Rosalie glanced at him, her expression considerably kinder than the scowl she had offered him earlier. "I'll uh – I'll give Eleazar your message."

He nodded. "Thanks."

She slid the bag off her shoulder and sat it on the ornate chair. She let her hand trail to the book on the table, to the copy of _Little Women_ that he had left there when Heidi came for them. "I've been reading to her," he said.

Rosalie clenched her jaw and turned to face him. "That's kind of you."

He shook his head, every part of him aching to tell her everything, to beg for help, to pledge his allegiance to her and her family. But he couldn't. It would take much less than those words to have Aro send the guard to destroy his mate and her coven. "She seems to like it," he said instead.

"_Alice in Wonderland _is her favorite," Rosalie said haltingly, her tone still a little harsh. She seemed to be fighting with her own words, as if she wanted to say so much more, to ask so much more.

"I'll find a copy," Eion said. "I – I'm going to take care of her. I'll do everything that I can."

Rosalie raised her eyebrows but then her face softened with a sigh. "I trust my sister," she muttered, "and I appreciate your help."

They stared at each other for long moments, each seeming to want to say things that they couldn't say. She opened her mouth, only getting out a tiny sound before Chelsea interrupted her by inching the door open. "Eion," she said, "time's up."

Rosalie nodded and touched Alice's face again, her fingers trailing across her jaw. "Bye," she whispered.

She nodded at Chelsea and followed her out the door.

* * *

_Eyes open_, she thought as she walked. _Eyes wide open._ Rosalie followed Chelsea down a long hall. She saw the turn for the lobby ahead and she glanced around wildly, wishing Alice could have told her more, that she could have offered a hint.

Rosalie saw familiar faces gathered by the entrance to the antechamber. Felix and Demetri were leaning against the wall, chatting idly. Chelsea sped up but Rosalie slowed down, her eyes searching. Felix caught her eye and smiled lecherously. Rose ignored him, watching as Demetri rushed to pull the door closed.

She came to a full stop as she peered inside the room, as she tried to catch a fleeting glimpse of whatever they wanted to hide. Her breathing sped up as she saw him, as she spied the man in the room, as she watched him step carefully forward, an unfamiliar young girl trailing behind. Then the door was fully closed, cutting off her view.

Rose stared at the closed door, unmoving in her total surprise. Demetri narrowed his eyes, taking one step forward. Rosalie blinked and then smiled invitingly at Felix, hoping they would believe that she'd seen nothing; that she had only stopped to respond to Felix's flirting.

She hurried after Chelsea, rushing into the lobby with screaming thoughts. Edward met her gaze as she shouted his name in her mind. He stood from his chair and she gripped his arm with firm fingers. _They have Benjamin_, she told him, letting him see her view of the scene beyond the door. _They have Benjamin now too_.

His eyes widened and he swallowed.

_It's not just Alice, _she thought. _ No one is safe._

* * *

Note: I apologize for posting this chapter late. I had a family emergency that kind of set everything back. I am not sure if the next chapter will be posted on Thursday or not but next week I should be back on the Monday/Thursday schedule.

Two quick story things: More on Eion's story and more on that note will be explained in the next chapter. Also, I haven't mentioned this yet but...if you are confused by any of my characterizations, I encourage you to read my collection of one-shots, Reading Between the Lines. This story has some ties with that one and it is also where I set up some of the relationships and dynamics that I have touched on in this story.

Finally, thanks to everyone for the reviews and PMs and emails and faves and alerts. I so appreciate all of it. If you have asked me to read a story, I will get to it as soon as my settles down a bit. Now, please review!!

- Brynna


	8. We Believe as We Tremble

Disclaimer: The Twilight universe belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

A/N: Thank, as always, to Guardgirl12 and alybee, for the tremendous beta work and unbelievably fast turnaround. You guys are the best.

* * *

**Chapter 8 – We Believe as We Tremble**

The phone was taunting Bella. She wondered if she was feeling some shadow of what Jasper felt when he was waiting for word from Alice the last time she was in Italy. She couldn't take her eyes off the phone for more than a moment. She only let her eyes dart away for the span of a breath, for the brief moment it took to smile reassuringly at her daughter, to lean into Emmett when he hooked his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

Neither of them had been exactly thrilled to let Edward and Rosalie go. Bella had kept her feelings quiet. She'd taken one look at Edward and knew she wouldn't be changing his mind. She knew he wanted to help Jasper, knew he felt responsible for Aro's awareness of Alice's power, knew he couldn't stand the thought of his best friend in danger. Bella felt all those things too.

But Bella going was entirely out of the question. Edward told them Aro's desire for Alice was only matched by his desire for Bella. She swallowed down a lump at the thought and Emmett squeezed her shoulders a little tighter.

His gaze was vacant, staring through the phone, his lips curving ever so often as if he was remembering some funny story, some happy memory. His curls were in disarray from fingers that had combed through them again and again. Bella wondered what he was thinking. He had protested when Rosalie said she was going, but once the decision was made, he'd been a rock. He didn't seem paralyzed by fear. She knew he was worried but she thought he seemed confident, steady in his belief that Rosalie would come home to him.

She leaned tighter into his side, wishing she had Jasper's ability. She wished she could steal from Emmett's confidence.

Jasper seemed to be steadfastly avoiding the phone. He'd inched it away from him, just two or three inches down Esme's prized dining room table. His fingers trailed on the smooth wood, his eyes trained on the table as he spelled out his thoughts with meandering lines. And then, as if his mind couldn't leave it alone, he'd push at the phone again, scooting it another two inches away.

They'd been silent since he told his story. They'd tried to plan at first, but they all knew that it was useless until they heard from the others. So they sat and stared at the phone. Seth had let himself into the house at some point, had taken in the sight of the assemblage in the dining room and inched in, keeping the vigil with everyone else.

They all jumped when the phone finally rang but Jasper just shoved at it, sending it closer to Esme, farther from him. Bella didn't fully understand his actions. She wondered if he was simply afraid of the answers the phone call would carry. What would he do if the Volturi had harmed Alice? What would he do if Alice's memory was gone for good, if their shared life had been wiped away in an instant? What would he do if the answers took his hope? Bella couldn't stop a shudder at the thought.

Esme pressed the speaker button on the phone and leaned forward, her voice trembling slightly. "Hello?"

"Esme," Edward said, sounding somehow breathless and relieved all at once. He always had a different tone when he was speaking to Esme, as if he had set aside the weight of the world in favor of simple comfort.

"Are you safe, Edward?" she asked, her voice still not fully steady.

"Yes. Yes, we're all fine. Eleazar is driving. We're trying to put some distance between us and Volterra." Smiles erupted all around the table. Carmen leaned her elbow on the smooth surface and dropped her face into her hand.

"Rosalie, Eleazar?" Esme glanced from Carmen to Emmett, seeming to know that they needed to hear their mates' voices.

"We're here, Esme," Rosalie said. Emmett let out a breath and Bella tried to remember if he had been breathing at all. She was startled to think that he had been holding that breath in the whole time, that the strength he was projecting was all for her and Nessie and Jasper.

"I'm here, too," Eleazar called. He sounded far away, the road noise a little louder, as if Edward was tilting the phone from the back seat. Carmen lifted her head, her smile wide and her lower lip trembling. She caught it in her teeth as Kate took her hand and clutched it tightly.

Bella felt somehow numb, somehow detached from the scene. She felt an unbelievable rush of relief knowing they were all alive, knowing that Edward was safe. But she knew him so well, she could hear the hitch in his voice, the frantic quality even through the softness with which he spoke to Esme.

Jasper must have heard it too. He leaned forward and cleared his throat. "Did you see her?" he asked quietly. His words were rushed as if he craved and feared the answer in equal measure.

"We saw her, Jasper," Edward said. "Rosalie even got to speak with her."

Bella watched a ghost of a smile flit across Jasper's face before he sobered and returned to drawing his patterns on the table. "Then _what_?" Jasper asked, his eyes still boring into the table. Bella knew what he was asking. Why the frantic tone? Why the breathlessness? Why the need for distance?

Edward knew too. There was a long pause before he spoke quietly. "They have Benjamin, too."

Bella felt her eyes widen, felt her stomach clench. "What?" she breathed.

"What do you mean?" Carlisle asked; his voice uncharacteristically sharp.

"Rosalie saw. She saw him."

There was a stunned silence as they all took in his words, as they all considered what they meant. Garrett leaned over Kate's chair, his hands firm on her shoulders, as if he was trying to hold onto her, as if Aro would come claim her power. "Rosalie saw him?" he asked. "What about Aro's thoughts?"

"He was being careful. He was thinking about Alice. I don't think we were supposed to find out about Benjamin."

"Was Tia there?" Kate asked. She lifted her free hand and wrapped it around one of Garrett's, squeezing gently, a wordless gesture of reassurance.

"I didn't see her," Rosalie said softly. "I only saw Benjamin for a moment. There was a girl behind him but she looked much younger than Tia."

Jasper swallowed, his eyes narrowed as if he was pulling up a memory. "Did she look about twelve or so? Curly blond hair?"

"Yes," Rosalie replied.

"She was with Jane and the others when they came for Alice."

Carlisle pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut. "Eleazar, what about the new guard members?"

"I never saw the girl. I only saw the other, but I didn't need my power. Carlisle, it was Eion."

Carlisle lifted his head and opened his eyes. He glanced at Kate and then at Tanya with stunned expression. "Eion?" he asked with a gasp.

"Eion is back with the Volturi?" Tanya asked, sinking into one of the ornate chairs in the corner, as if her legs could no longer support her.

Bella wanted to ask who Eion was but Edward again spoke up. "Not willingly."

"Is Maggie – " Tanya asked haltingly, looking around as if she had already said too much. "Did they – do they know about her?"

"Yes," Edward said.

"Eion told me they figured everything out." Rosalie's voice was hesitant, as if she didn't understand the message she was delivering.

Carlisle's face was set into a deep scowl. He stood and paced. "You have to go tell Siobhan. Bring them all back here."

"What does Maggie have to do with anything?" Emmett asked. "And who is Eion?"

"He was in the guard when I was," Eleazar said. "He...he has a strong gift. He can imprison the mind, strip away memories and thoughts."

Carlisle sighed. "We should tell them everything, Eleazar. If Aro knows everything, what difference does it make now?"

There was a pause, as if Eleazar was considering the request. A shuffling noise took over the line and Bella imagined Edward handing Eleazar the phone. "You are right, Carlisle. You are right."

* * *

Jasper knew his brow was furrowed, that his fingers had long-since stilled on the table. Who was Eion? He slipped his hand into his pocket as he listened to Eleazar clear his throat. Jasper fingered the note from Alice, running his trembling fingers along the edges of the tightly folded slip of paper. _Tell me about Maggie_, he thought. _Tell me what Maggie has to do with all of this._

"Like I said, Eion was in the guard when I was," Eleazar continued. "He and his brother. They had matching gifts but they were extremely rare, especially with their level of control. We used to call them 'keepers,' but really it's just a different kind of shield. Eion can separate the conscious mind from the subconscious. He can make it so that a person will follow simple orders blindly but their conscious mind is in the dark. The longer he uses his power on someone, the more likely they are to lose their mind entirely. They lose their memories and become a shell of themselves."

Jasper hissed and Eleazar paused. "Jasper," Edward said, "she's fighting it. Her mind is too strong this time. She won't lose herself again."

Carlisle kept pacing. "Tell them the rest, Eleazar. Tell them the whole story."

Eleazar swallowed audibly, perhaps hearing the tension in Carlisle's voice. "Eion and Malcolm, Eion's brother, were very important to Aro. They could turn anyone into a mindless tool. Chelsea could sever ties, but Eion and Malcolm could sever personalities and memories. They made sure that anyone that Aro wanted, no matter how strongly bonded they were or how opposed to the Volturi they were, would come willingly. When I left the Volturi, Eion left as well."

"Why?" Jasper asked.

"There is nothing enjoyable about his power. If Jane was normal, she'd see her power as a burden. Kate understands. When your power harms, when it can be used as a weapon, it is a tremendous responsibility."

Kate nodded knowingly. "I spoke to Eion some years after he left the guard. He said to never let anyone force me to use my power. He said that the honor of being in the guard warped his sensibilities."

"Eventually, his conscience forced him to leave," Eleazar explained. "But Aro was angered by his decision. Malcolm was different than Eion. He was harder, more accepting of his circumstances. There was never much kindness in Malcolm. But Eion was the opposite. He was so tormented over being forced to use his power. Aro tried to stop him, but his mind was made up."

"Aro let him leave?" Esme asked. Esme touched Carlisle's hand in a comforting gesture, stilling his pacing. He offered her a tense smile and settled in next to her, his hand wrapping around hers, his body leaning close as if the pacing had worn him out, as if he needed her to be the stronger party for just a moment.

"Aro still had Malcolm," Eleazar continued. "He wasn't happy but...that was enough. Eion moved around a lot. I saw him a few times when I still lived in Spain and he sometimes stayed with Siobhan and Liam in Ireland. A couple of years after he left the guard, he met Maggie. She was living a nomadic lifestyle at the time. They met by chance and were inseparable after that. They settled down together."

Bella drummed her fingers on the table, her eyebrow twitching once in confusion. "How did she end up with Siobhan?"

"Malcolm was killed in a battle. It's rare now for guard members to be killed but that was when the South was still particularly wild. They spent much of their time trying to calm things down and there was a certain amount of turnover in the guard. Aro wanted Eion. It wasn't safe for anyone to try to bring him back by force. He only needs minimal contact to use his power. But Aro sent out Demetri anyway, not to bring Eion back, but to find out if there was anything they could use as persuasion."

Jasper knew at once what happened next. He knew because he'd do the same, because Edward or Carlisle or Emmett would do the same. "Maggie was in danger," he muttered.

"Yes," Eleazar said simply. "They'd use her to get to him. They had to make a decision. He brought Maggie to Siobhan and Liam. Liam had objections. If Aro found out that Maggie was Eion's mate, they'd be in danger. But Siobhan couldn't turn them away. And then Eion disappeared."

"He left his mate?" Jacob asked, a hint of incredulity present in his voice.

"He stayed with us in Denali for a couple of nights about a decade ago," Tanya said. "He was different. Leaving Maggie had really taken its toll on him. He told me that as long as he knew she was alive, he could survive. They were trying to keep each other safe. They were a danger to each other. Maggie couldn't allow herself to be the reason Eion was taken back into the guard and Eion couldn't let Aro threaten Maggie."

Kate leaned her head back against Garrett's stomach. "Eion thought that maybe someday something would change. Maybe the Volturi would fall or maybe they would find another keeper. He just lived on hope."

"That's so sad," Esme whispered.

Jasper glanced at Bella. He watched as she stilled her tapping fingers, as she stared at the table with sad eyes. He wondered if she was remembering all of her dim human memories, all those times when Edward tried to push her into keeping her humanity. He had been willing to live without her then to keep her safe. He had been willing to let her go, to let her be happy and normal and alive.

Bella met Jasper's gaze and then glanced away, clearly saddened by her thoughts, by the knowledge that Maggie and Eion had lived for decades without their other half.

"Why have we never heard this story before?" Esme asked.

"There were so few of us that knew about Eion and Maggie. We tried to keep it just between us," Carlisle said.

"What if Aro had touched you?" Peter asked.

"That was always a danger to them, one they knew about but one that could not be helped. Until Nessie, I hadn't seen Aro in centuries." Carlisle turned to the phone. "Do you know how Aro found out?"

There was a pause before Edward spoke up softly. "I think it was me. When Maggie came to witness for Nessie, some of you had stray thoughts about her mate. I didn't think about it at the time with everything else that was going on but...Aro would have picked those thoughts out." There was another pause, longer this time. "It all happened so fast but...in the clearing, when you stepped forward and offered to let Aro touch you, Carlisle, Maggie cried out in her mind. It must have been so easy for Aro to see it all in my thoughts."

"Well," Carlisle said carefully, "Maggie knew the dangers when they agreed to come. Eion will know that this is no one's fault but the Volturi."

Jasper stared at the phone. "What else happened, Edward? What was Aro thinking about?"

"Like I said, Aro was being careful," Edward replied. "He was thinking about Alice, about how she walked into the clearing while you were hunting. He seemed to want to convince me that she went completely willingly. Caius on the other hand was seeing war. He thinks Aro made a mistake by taking Alice. Even he thinks Aro was out of line." He paused. "I don't know how you knew to send Rosalie, but it was smart."

"She made a joke and Alice laughed," Eleazar said. "I've seen Eion use his power a thousand times but I've never seen consciousness seep through like that."

Jasper could feel his lips curving in a real smile. Trust Alice to have a brain that refuses to be damaged, that refuses to lose its memories again.

"Aro was mad." Edward said. "He let his thoughts slip then. He thinks Eion's power is failing. He is worried that Caius is right, that he made a mistake. And then Rosalie asked to speak with Alice." He laughed lightly. "I think only Rosalie would demand something of Aro."

"I have no threatening powers," Rosalie said. "I figured it was worth a try."

"He wouldn't have let me or Eleazar see her alone," Edward agreed. "Not with my power and his ties to Eion."

Jasper cleared his throat. "Edward, could you still see her thoughts?"

"Yes." He paused. "They're – it was strange. She is thinking about you, just you really. But she can hear what is happening to her. She could hear Rosalie and her mind seemed to come back together for a moment when she laughed but...everything is separate and scattered. But it's all there. She's fighting it."

"It's remarkable," Eleazar muttered.

Jasper felt Esme grip his shoulder and he offered her a real grin. "How was she when you spoke to her, Rose?"

"She's okay. I got Eion to let her go for a few moments. She asked about you right away. She gave me a message for you. I can tell you everything later. One thing that I noticed is that she held out her hand so Eion would take it. It's like she is using his power for some reason."

Carlisle nodded. "She could have thoughts that would help Aro. As long as Eion has her, there is less of a chance."

"Rosalie," Kate said softly, "how long did it take for Alice to come back to herself?"

"Once Eion let her go, I'd say a minute."

"Remarkable," Eleazar said again.

"Is there anything else?" Carlisle asked.

"One last thing, Aro is going to send out Demetri," Edward answered. "Caius knows we will use the wolves if we start an uprising. Demetri is going to keep an eye on us."

"All right," Carlisle said.

Tanya stood from her chair and moved to stand next to Garrett. "The Volturi have Benjamin and Alice and Eion now. Does anyone believe that Benjamin would go willingly?"

"He wouldn't let Amun turn him into a weapon. Why would he let Aro?" Edward said.

Tanya nodded. "So three. Three so far. We know that Aro has asked Bella to join and Kate and Zafrina." She shook her head. "I have no faith in their leadership any longer."

"So now what?" Rosalie asked.

There was a pause before Carlisle leaned forward, his long fingers still clutching Esme's in a white-knuckled grip. "What choice do we have? Now we fight."

* * *

Rosalie listened as Edward instructed Carlisle to take the phone off speaker, as Carlisle gave Edward hasty instructions to get to Siobhan's, and as farewells were exchanged. Edward pressed the button to end the speaker portion of the call and held the phone out to Rose.

She took it from Edward's hand, lifted it to her ear with a small smile. "Jasper?"

"Hey Rose." His voice was light, infused with something akin to hope. He sounded as if a new determination had taken hold.

"You sound better."

"I feel a bit better. You did really well."

Rosalie couldn't help but widen her smile. She wasn't used to being praised for her stubbornness. She'd done nothing more than crack a joke and make a demand but it had helped so much, had given them the evidence they needed to gather the allies and stand up to the Volturi. She hoped that all thoughts of Jasper joining the guard were entirely forgotten.

"She's really okay, Jasper. Eion seems protective of her. She was completely unharmed. Her uh – her eyes were red."

There was a pause and a ragged puffing sound, as if he had been holding in a special breath for that one revelation. "That's not so surprising," he murmured, seemingly trying to convince himself more than her.

"No," she replied. "I had considered the possibility. She wanted me to tell you to stay strong and to listen to your own mind. She said I'd see her soon."

Rosalie could hear the smile in his voice when he spoke again. "Well, who are we to bet against Alice?"

"Time to get her back."

"Yes. Thanks Rose. Really. You did great."

"Anytime," she said. "Can you give the phone to Emmett now?"

* * *

Jasper called for Emmett and handed off the phone. He started to move back into the dining room, anxious to begin the planning, but his feet had other ideas. They carried him instead toward the staircase, his feet automatically carrying him to their bedroom.

He pushed open the door, leaning against the door frame, his toes barely over the threshold as he took it all in. His bag was settled just inside the door where he'd tossed it in and sealed the room again. The room was littered with relics of their shared history, with photos and gifts and things they'd bought together.

Everything in the room was carefully carried from house to house by Alice. He'd avoided coming in the room, certain it would make him sad, sure it would cause that now familiar ache to spread, to intensify.

Instead, his lips were curving as his eyes scanned the room. Their bed was dominant, a sea of fluffy bedding and pillows, a haven where they'd spent countless hours reading and drawing and talking and making love. The floppy little stuffed dog Jasper had won for Alice at a fair decades ago was sprawled over her pillow, melting over the edge, its stuffing long ago loosened. Jasper grinned as he moved to the bed, forgetting his reluctance to walk in, forgetting everything but the memories assaulting him.

He picked up the dog, his grin growing as it seemed to mold around his hand. She had a habit of twisting the toy between nervous fingers, of flopping onto the bed and resting her chin on it like a pillow. Jasper raised the stuffed animal to eye level and inhaled. It smelled familiar, like her shampoo and his soap and whatever laundry detergent Esme favored.

Jasper sank to the bed, his fingers still clutched around the floppy dog. He held it close for a moment, his eyes flitting over to the framed pictures on her bedside table. A picture of the whole family was settled next to a recent one of the two of them. It was a candid shot from Garrett and Kate's wedding. Alice's hair was straightened and silky, her dress a slinky grey number. She was laughing up at him, one hand wrapped around the lapel of his jacket, the other flat against his chest, smoothing his tie as he grinned down at her.

Her eyes were happy, filled with secrets and futures she'd share with him without hesitation. His smile turned soft as he felt some lightness in his chest, as he suddenly felt like he'd see that look again, that he'd pull her away from Eion and she'd be his Alice again.

His family and friends were downstairs, were planning her rescue and others would join. So many people would stand with him, would give him a chance to have more moments like the one in the picture.

Jasper stood, depositing the dog on the bed, trailing steady fingers over the edge of the frame. He crossed to her desk and opened her sketchpad. He flipped through drawing after drawing, stopping on the first blank page. Jasper reached for one of her Sharpies, thinking of the countless messages he'd written her when he was bored in class, thinking of the jokes and innuendo he'd scrawled into the margins of his notes when he knew she'd be watching. He usually wrote things to make her laugh, instructions for where to meet, ideas for hunting excursions.

But this time was different. He smoothed his hand over the paper and cleared his mind, put aside all planning, buried all thoughts of Jacob and Seth and the other wolves. He thought instead of this one intention, of the careful letters he would make on the crisp paper.

And then he wrote. As much for him as for her, he scrawled large, purposeful letters, feeling lighter, more determined with each stroke of the marker. When he was done, he stood back with a smile and capped the marker, straightening his back into military stiffness as he read the words again and again, not sure if she would be able to see them, not sure if it mattered. If nothing else, the words gave him strength. He dropped the marker onto the desk and stalked out the room, ready to plan, to get moving, to get her back.

* * *

Aro scowled as he touched Alice's hand, as he watched her lips curve at the vision. A pen was dragged across white paper. Words were forming with purposeful care. Each letter of the message made him scowl deeper, made her smile more.

_I love you, Alice._

_I'm coming for you._

* * *

Note: A longer chapter! Sorry for getting off schedule last week. I should be back on schedule from now on, barring any further unexpected emergencies. Thanks so much for all of your patience and kind words.

Thanks also to everyone who reviewed or put me or this story on your alerts or faves. I so so appreciate it.

New chapter on Thursday! Please review.

- Brynna


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